by ArchitectureWeek

The Aga Khan Award for Architecture for 2010 went to five projects. This extended article covers the 14 other finalists, an array of fascinating projects, ranging far off the beaten paths of everyday Western architecture. —Editor

Project: Tulou Collective Housing
Location: Nanhai, Guandong, China
Architect: Urbanus Architecture & Design Inc./ Xiaodu Liu and Yan Meng
Client: Shenhzen Vanke Real Estate Co. Ltd.
Design Date: 2006
Completion Date: 2008
Built Area: 13,711 square meters (147,580 square feet)

This pioneering prototype for affordable housing in China is inspired by the traditional tulou, the earthen, fortress-like multifamily housing type found in rural areas of Fujian province.

This urban Tulou consists of an outer circular ring and an inner rectangular box, both containing small apartment units, with shops and communal facilities on lower floors.

The two structural forms are connected by bridges and a courtyard. Rents are low and apartments are not available to car owners, and many of the residents are migrant workers. The building's self-contained cylindrical form stands in sharp contrast to the typical high-rise blocks around it.

The entire structure is wrapped in a concrete screen with wooden inserts that shade the balconies, giving each unit a secondary living space. The position of the apartments also allows for light and ventilation.   >>>

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SUBSCRIPTION SAMPLE The Tulou Collective Housing, a contemporary residential project that takes its form from the vernacular Chinese tulou, was one of 19 projects shortlisted for the 2010 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Photo: Aga Khan Award for Architecture/ Shen Xiaoming Extra Large Image SUBSCRIPTION SAMPLE The kitchen of a family apartment in the Tulou Collective Housing in Nanhai, China, designed by Urbanus Architecture & Design, Inc. Photo: Aga Khan Award for Architecture/ Iwan Baan Extra Large Image   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.