The 2025 Top 10 Chinese Architecture Design Firms have been revealed, highlighting practices setting benchmarks across urban planning, large public buildings, transport infrastructure, and mixed-use developments—both in China and globally.
The list, released by ARCHINA, reflects firms whose influence extends beyond individual projects to long-term contributions to the country’s built environment and design culture.
China Architecture Design & Research Group leads the list, followed by Tongji Architectural Design (Group) and Central South Architectural Design Institute, forming the top tier of state-owned design brands with national reach. The remaining firms represent a mix of long-established regional powerhouses and university-affiliated design institutes that continue to shape civic, cultural, transport, and mixed-use developments across China.
China Architecture Design & Research Group (CADG)
China Architecture Design & Research Group (CADG) is a state-owned architectural and engineering consultancy operating under China Construction Technology Consulting, a large-scale scientific and technological enterprise administered by SASAC.
Established in 1952 as the Central Design Company of China, CADG has played a foundational role in shaping the country’s built environment. Guided by its mission of “building a better world,” the group provides comprehensive professional, technological, and consulting services, and is widely recognised for its institutional influence, technical expertise, and leading market position within China’s construction industry.
CADG has a long history of delivering major civic, cultural, and infrastructure projects. Its recent portfolio continues to focus on large public buildings and complex urban developments that support national and municipal development agendas.
Tongji Architectural Design (Group)
Tongji Architectural Design (Group) Co., Ltd (TJAD) is a large architectural and design consulting practice founded in 1958 as the Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tongji University. Drawing on academic and technical expertise, the firm provides architectural design, engineering consulting, project management, and multidisciplinary services across building, municipal, and infrastructure sectors.
TJAD’s recent work includes international-standard facilities such as the Shanghai Velodrome, major cultural buildings like the Xizang Art Museum, new museum and exhibition facilities in Shanghai, and the Wenzhou High-tech Cultural Square urban complex.
Central-South Architectural Design Institute
Central-South Architectural Design Institute (CSADI) is one of China’s earliest comprehensive architectural design institutes, founded in 1952 and ranked among the country’s Top 100 survey and design enterprises. Providing multidisciplinary services that include architectural design, urban planning, BIM and green technology design, and project management, CSADI’s portfolio spans civic, cultural, transport, sports, and infrastructure projects.
Notable works of CSADI include Xiamen North Railway Station, recognised with international engineering awards, the Guangdong Science Center, and advanced seismic retrofit and design work at Wuhan Poly Plaza, as well as internationally rated foreign aid architectural projects across Asia, Africa and the Americas.
China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute
China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute is one of China’s largest and longest-established state-owned Class A architectural design corporations, operating under China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC). Founded in 1950, CSWADI provides multidisciplinary services spanning architectural design, urban planning, municipal engineering, transportation infrastructure, landscape and public space design, building systems, and engineering procurement and construction (EPC) delivery across China and in more than 20 countries and regions.
The institute’s portfolio encompasses a wide range of architectural typologies, including transport hubs, cultural institutions, urban regeneration, sports facilities, and educational and civic architecture. Recent notable works include the Sanxingdui Museum renovation and expansion in Guanghan, which reimagines the museum for a major archaeological site while integrating visitor circulation and landscape context, and the Citang Street Regeneration project in Chengdu’s historic core, where CSWADI’s design blends heritage structures with layered green urban space.
Additionally, the firm has been involved in innovative civic infrastructure such as the Chengdu Jiaozi Pedestrian Bridge, linking green corridors across the Jinjiang River and incorporating programmed public spaces, and the Renovation & Expansion of Sichuan University Museum, which revitalises a key campus cultural node.
CITIC Architectural Design & Research Institute
CITIC General Institute of Architectural Design and Research is a major state-affiliated architectural design institution under the China CITIC Group, with origins dating back to 1952. It provides integrated architectural, planning, municipal, landscape, and consulting services across wide-ranging civic and urban typologies and holds qualifications in full-cycle project delivery. The institute’s recent work includes the award-winning Wuhan Design Museum proposal for the adaptive reuse of a historic industrial site.
Hunan Architectural Design Group
Hunan Architectural Design Group is a provincial design institution engaged in public buildings, infrastructure-related architecture, and urban development projects. Its long-term involvement in municipal and civic architecture supports regional development initiatives within Hunan and beyond.
The Architectural Design and Research Institute
Architectural Design and Research Institute of South China University of Technology is a Class-A architectural design and research institute providing comprehensive design, planning, and engineering services.
With strengths across cultural, educational, sports, exhibition, and high-rise architecture, the institute’s notable projects include the Yangjiang Cultural Center and the South China Agricultural University Gymnasium, as well as landscape and public space work such as the SCUT South Gate landscape project and Guangzhou Dajinzhong Lakeside Park.
It is recognised for its technical capacity, multidisciplinary expertise, and contributions to education and civic architecture.
Sichuan Architectural Design Institute
Sichuan Architectural Design Institute is a long-established regional practice delivering public, commercial, and infrastructure-linked architecture. Its portfolio continues to support large urban developments and public facilities across Sichuan Province.
Zhejiang University Architectural Design and Research Institute
Zhejiang University Architectural Design and Research Institute is a comprehensive architectural design and research institution affiliated with Zhejiang University, providing integrated services across architectural design, urban and rural planning, landscape architecture, interior design, engineering consultancy, and project management. Established in 1952, the institute operates with Class-A qualifications and combines academic research with professional practice.
Zhejiang University Architectural Design and Research Institute has delivered a wide range of public, educational, healthcare, cultural, and research facilities across China, drawing on the technical and interdisciplinary strengths of Zhejiang University. Its work is characterised by the integration of architecture, engineering, and planning within large and complex projects, contributing to urban development initiatives at both regional and national levels.
Zhejiang Provincial Architectural Design & Research Institute
Zhejiang Province Institute of Architectural Design and Research (ZIAD) is an architectural design and consulting organisation founded in 1952 and the earliest such institute in Zhejiang Province. It operates under the Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Zhejiang Province and provides a wide range of professional services including architectural design, urban and rural planning, engineering consulting, landscape design, interior design, municipal public facility design, geotechnical and intelligent systems design, project management, and engineering feasibility research.
ZIAD is equipped with multiple comprehensive and specialised design departments as well as research and technical centres focusing on areas such as BIM, building industrialisation, and green building technology.
The firm is known for its expertise in office, hotel, sports, transportation, cultural, educational, and medical building design, and it holds unique qualifications for over-limit high-rise building design review in Zhejiang Province. ZIAD has received numerous national, provincial, and ministerial design and technology awards and has participated in drafting industry and regional standards.
ARCHINA’s ranking methodology
ARCHINA is a China-based architecture media and research platform that documents, evaluates, and ranks architectural design practices, projects, and industry trends, with a focus on large-scale urban development and the country’s evolving built environment.
ARCHINA’s 2025 Top 10 Chinese Architecture Design Firms ranking is based on a multi-factor evaluation framework that combines industry performance, design quality, and market impact. According to ARCHINA, firms were assessed on the scale and significance of completed and ongoing projects, design innovation, technical capability, and recognition through major awards and competitions. Additional weight was given to international presence, cross-sector expertise, and the ability to deliver complex, large-scale developments.
