5 A+Awards-winning works, showcasing the artistic beauty of architectural space

Design and art are inseparable, seamlessly blending together, The 2025 A+Awards winners in the "Architecture + Art" category showcase the limitless possibilities of spatial aesthetics. — Whether it’s skillfully blending nature and art to create a “garden stroll” experience, cultivating a sense of “extraordinary nature” amidst mountains and waters that sparks philosophical reflection, or even using architectural language to tell a love story, all in the quest to explore the true essence of beauty.

 

These works not only showcase design innovation and meticulous craftsmanship, but also allow us to deeply feel the emotions and philosophies embedded within the spaces. With a unique perspective, the architect has redefined the relationship between architecture and art, guiding us into immersive environments that are both poetic and powerfully evocative—spaces where design and emotion intertwine on a profound level.

01

Combining natural elements with modern commercial spaces creates a unique "garden stroll" experience.

Shanghai: Youmu Garden

Company: c+d studio

Honors: Idea Category – Architecture + Art, 2025 A+Awards Professional Jury Prize

© DC International

“Garden for the Eyes” is a project designed by CD Design Center, located in Chengdu, China. This project aims to breathe new life into a commercial space, transforming the originally single-purpose area into a garden-like venue that seamlessly blends exhibition and experiential elements. The design team skillfully integrated natural elements with modern commercial spaces by re-planning and transforming the area.

 

In terms of spatial layout, the designer broke away from the conventional sense of enclosure in commercial spaces, introducing abundant greenery and natural light. By arranging plant shelves and landscape features at varying heights, a rich sense of spatial depth is created. These plants not only enhance the beauty of the space but also serve to define functional areas, allowing customers to feel as though they’re immersed in a garden while shopping.

© c+d Design Center

In terms of material selection, the project extensively incorporates wooden elements combined with metal frames, creating a warm and contemporary atmosphere. The warm, textured feel of wood intertwines with the cool, sharp lines of metal, creating a uniquely captivating design aesthetic. Meanwhile, the designer has skillfully incorporated lighting and shadow effects—using a transparent glass roof and an adjustable lighting system—to allow the space to subtly transform under varying light conditions throughout the day.

 

In addition, the design team also focused on the space’s interactivity and sense of experience. Multiple seating areas and interactive installations have been strategically placed throughout the garden, encouraging visitors to linger and explore. These thoughtful design details not only enhance the functionality of the space but also deepen customers’ sense of engagement and belonging.

© DC International

02

A lightweight and chic atrium platform is constructed from white metal mesh.

Shanghai: Yanlord Arcadia_Lacy Steps

Company: TROP: terrains + open space

Honors: Idea Category – Architecture + Art, 2025 A+Awards Public Choice Award

Image courtesy of Architizer

This sunken courtyard, reaching a depth of 9.3 meters, seamlessly integrates three distinct spatial levels via its thoughtfully designed staircase, enhancing the flow of pedestrian movement and ensuring visual continuity while creating a vibrant landscape experience. The central platform is a multi-functional area suitable for outdoor reading or small performances, while seamlessly connecting the ground-level space below with the diverse club facilities in the basement.

 

The design incorporates white-painted metal mesh to minimize visual obstruction of the structure, ensuring ample sunlight can filter through and nourish the lush vegetation—while simultaneously enhancing the structure’s light, ethereal aesthetic. The monochromatic white scheme reduces visual heaviness, enhances the space's openness, and boosts the brightness of the courtyard. The overall design language harmoniously blends functionality with artistry, while meticulous attention to detail ensures a seamless fusion of practicality and elegance.

Image courtesy of Architizer

03

Place the architecture amidst mountain streams and massive boulders, and experience "extraordinary nature."

Chongqing: Nanchuan Shishi

Company: Du Di Architecture

Honors: Idea Category – Architecture + Art, Nominated for the 2025 A+Awards

© Arch-Exist Photography

© DoDesign Architecture

Nanchuan Shishe is located in Nanchuan District, Chongqing Municipality, nestled amidst towering mountains. As a scenic complement to the owner’s holiday resort, Shishe sits within the deep valley at the back of the resort’s grounds, comprising two distinct architectural elements: stone steps and a stone pavilion. Visitors to the resort can follow the winding stream up the terraced path, ascending to the summit for a cool respite and breathtaking views—or they can step inside to sit by the creek, savoring tea while soaking in the serene ambiance.

 

The design aims to inspire visitors to deepen their observation and appreciation of nature through an immersive, ever-changing experience created by deliberately contrasting architecture with the natural environment—ultimately achieving a harmonious balance among people, buildings, and nature. The design team simultaneously emulated natural elements and textures, seamlessly blending the architecture with its surroundings; yet at the same time, they incorporated man-made materials like steel, mirrored surfaces, and glass, elevating the building above its environment in a surreal, anti-gravity-like manner—thus creating a sense of " Extraordinary Nature ”。

© Arch-Exist Photography

“The stone steps” are composed of ten stacked rock slabs. Three of the stacked stones rise upward from the stream’s edge along one side of the mountain wall, gently landing on the flat surface of the stone platform. The remaining seven stones continue to stack vertically, shifting horizontally along the edges of the massive boulder until the ninth slab reaches the towering cliff face, while the tenth slab extends outward in a subtle overhang. Given that the height difference between each pair of rocks is approximately 60 centimeters, the design team carefully selected several neatly shaped natural stones from the quarry market to serve as sturdy stepping blocks, seamlessly weaving them into a path along the top surface of the stone staircase.

 

The gap naturally formed between the cantilevered steps descending into the ravine and the massive boulders creates an indoor reception area with stone steps. The panoramic, frameless tempered glass surrounding the lounge seamlessly integrates the surrounding landscape, offering visitors both the shelter of the architecture and the immersive sensation of being outdoors. Meanwhile, select architectural volumes—serving as structural elements—are subtly enveloped in mirrored surfaces, virtually disappearing into the reflective backdrop of their surroundings, while simultaneously accentuating the extraordinary experience of standing beneath a cliff-like rock formation that seems to hover overhead.

© Arch-Exist Photography

© DoDesign Architecture

04

The fusion and interaction of materials, light and shadow, and forms with nature create a vibrant, colorful spatial atmosphere.

United States: Diaphanous Greenhouse

Company: Studio Winterich

Honors: Idea Category – Architecture + Art, Nominated for the 2025 A+Awards

Image courtesy of Architizer

This greenhouse was imported from France in 2018 and is situated next to the main house on a working ranch in Northern California. The homeowners requested the installation of an artistic glass piece that would both honor the original greenhouse's openness and enhance the scenic views of the surrounding property. The three pointed-arch windows of the greenhouse serve as the installation site for this site-responsive art glass installation.

 

On this rural estate, a wide variety of plants and animals can be found everywhere, including dragonflies. The pattern of dragonfly wings was chosen as the inspiration for the glass design because it is both open and remarkably strong. Dragonfly wings are an incredibly efficient structure, yet equally beautiful. Their intricate, net-like design provides ample stability, enabling them to withstand both gravity and wind forces.

 

The concept of art glass incorporates the traditional leaded-glass technique. , and installed in traditional cold-formed steel structures. Although glass craftsmanship originated over 1,000 years ago, the final result is a modern-style interpretation of stained glass.

Image courtesy of Architizer

05

Writing love stories through the language of architecture, exploring the possibilities of aesthetic expression.

Iran: JAN Plaza

Company: Jalal Mashhadi Fard Studio

Honors: Idea Category – Architecture + Art, Nominated for the 2025 A+Awards

© Diman Studio

This project embodies a timeless love story. The building seems to breathe in rhythm with the play of light—coming alive during the day through the intricate interweaving of sunlight, and lending the space an ethereal glow at night.

 

The design is rooted in Rumi’s profound personal interpretation of the philosophy of love. It unfolds along three axes—X, Y, and Z—capturing the image of the beloved residing within the heart of the lover, as well as the very essence of love itself. This approach unveils a multi-layered architectural narrative that resonates deeply with this unique perspective. This ternary structure defines the spatial narrative of the architecture. The public space, aligned along the Y-axis, represents the admirer’s inner world, while the main reception hall, situated along the X-axis, embodies the beloved figure residing in the admirer’s heart. Meanwhile, light—as the ultimate symbol of love—illuminates the admirer’s consciousness along the Z-axis.

© Diman Studio

At the heart of the design, the main archway along the building's central axis serves as the "mihrab" for admirers—this sacred, devoted space faces Mecca during Islamic worship. This archway is covered with mirrors, symbolizing that the beloved resides within the thoughts of the admirer. Elsewhere in the architecture, the arches nestle seamlessly into one another, constantly reinforcing visual and spatial references to the beloved from every angle and perspective. In the space specifically designed to embody the presence of the beloved, two semi-arches evoke the shape of an embracing form, crafting an intimate architectural expression that invites visitors to feel cherished and cradled in love’s warm embrace.

 

Throughout the entire architectural structure, Rumi's verses have been carefully selected and inscribed on the wall in the form of Kufic architectural script. As a poetic narrator, it conveys the profound emotions embedded within the space. The vertical proportions of the architecture guide the viewer’s gaze—or the soul of the admirer—ever upward. This deliberate architectural stance underscores that the true mysteries of life and the secrets of love lie in transcending the earthly realm, reaching toward the heavens, thus drawing us endlessly closer to the infinite.

© Diman Studio