Chinese Government Bans “Bizarre Architecture”

By Anthony Zurcher

China’s State Council released a directive this week barring the creation of any “bizarre architecture.” The government has decided to no longer allow “unusual” building plans to come to fruition, following up on “past pledges to end the trend of outlandish architecture.” Many buildings in the country have been criticized as “oversized, xenocentric, and weird” (e.g. the Guangzhou circle, the headquarters of CCTV, the Gate of the Orient, or the Kempinski Hotel to name a few). Under the new directive, buildings are to be “economical, functional, aesthetically pleasing, and environmentally friendly.”