The 47-year old Xu was selected from 26 candidates from 14 countries, the Teatro dell’architettura foundation said.
The jury, which included the renowned Swiss architect Mario Botta, was impressed by the works submitted by Xu for the competition, which are located in a rural area of the Chinese province of Zhejang.
The award is aimed at recognizing and spotlighting architects from all over the world that, through their own work, have made a significant contribution to contemporary architecture by showing a peculiar sensitivity to the environment and at the same time encouraging public debate on the role of architecture in contemporary society.
The prize, worth CHF100,000 ($107,380) will be handed over at the Academy of Architecture of the University of Italian Switzerland in Mendrisio in May.
This is the eighth time that the prize has been awarded to an architect under the age of 50 whose work demonstrates sensitivity to the landscape and the environment, the organisers said on Monday.
After working in the United States and the Netherlands for OMA, Xu founded the DnA Design and Architecture studio in Beijing. In 2006, she received the WA China Architecture Award and, in 2008, the Young Architects Award from the Architectural League in New York.
In 2019, she won the Moira Gemmill Award for Emerging Architecture. In March 2018, the AEDES Architecture Forum in Berlin dedicated an exhibition to her.
More
More
Concrete: the building material of the 20th century
This content was published on
Architecture fans wax nostalgic about concrete; for others it’s the epitome of coldness and ugliness.
This content was published on
By 8am on Saturday, an 11-kilometre queue had formed at the Gotthard tunnel’s northern entrance, with drivers facing nearly two hours of delays.
Plant-based meat market in Switzerland set to grow to CHF361 million by 2030
This content was published on
Switzerland’s market for plant-based meat alternatives has a potential value of around CHF 242 million this year, though it remains a niche market.
This content was published on
The army is looking for a modern solution for its decommissioned fortress mortar bunkers, with plans to turn them into hardened defence hubs.
This content was published on
Spain ended Switzerland’s run in the Women’s Euros on Friday, but fans in Bern made history with the largest supporters’ march in Women’s Euros history.
This content was published on
Solar energy pioneer Raphaël Domjan and his team continued preparations for the altitude record attempt at 10,000 metres with the SolarStratos solar aircraft.
This content was published on
Cattle in the canton of Geneva and in the neighbouring region of Terre Sainte in the canton of Vaud are being vaccinated against the contagious viral skin nodule disease. The first cases of the animal disease were reported at the end of June in France, just outside Geneva.
Fewer attacks on Swiss ATMs but their future remains uncertain
This content was published on
Bank ATMs in Switzerland are less prone to attacks by criminals, but their future remains uncertain given the less active use of cash by the population.
This content was published on
A series of rockfalls occurred above the village of Brienz between 9 and 12 July. According to the municipality of Albula, the overall situation remains tense. Several people disregarded the ban on entering the area around the village.
This content was published on
Arosa Bergbahnen achieved the highest figure in its 95-year history in the 2024/25 financial year with net revenue of CHF 37 million. Arosa Lenzerheide was able to capitalise on strengths such as snow reliability and the size of the ski area in a long winter season, the company announced on Thursday.
This content was published on
The Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) is one of three European institutions cooperating with a university in China with ties to the military. Not all the ZHdK staff and students agree with the move.
This content was published on
Construction is booming in the Swiss Alps, but not all of it is sustainable. Architecture critic Köbi Gantenbein wants to change this.
This content was published on
Paris-based studio Bruther, founded by Stéphanie Bru and Alexandre Theriot, has won the seventh edition of the Swiss Architectural Award.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.