Order Amidst Contradiction·Hangzhou — line+ Exhibition Opens at LOFT49

2025 / 06 / 25

On June 21, the line+ exhibition Order Amidst Contradiction·Hangzhou officially opened at Phase II of LOFT49, located by the Grand Canal in Gongshu District. The exhibition follows the curatorial theme From Hangzhou’s Shanshui to Global Horizons, systematically showcasing 58 representative projects by line+ over the past seven years since its founding. It features more than 80 models, over 30 material samples, more than 100 research texts and multimedia contents, as well as over 1,500 drawings and photographs, offering a comprehensive review of its explorations amid the challenges of urbanization and diverse practices.

Over 200 Industry Guests Gathered by the Grand Canal

The opening ceremony brought together nearly 200 guests from government, industry, and academia.

Special Guests Included:
Zhang Qingyun – Party Leadership Member and Deputy Director-General of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Construction
Ao Yuxin – Deputy Secretary of the CPC Gongshu District Committee and District Mayor of Hangzhou
Wu Weiqiang – Deputy District Mayor of Yuhang District, Hangzhou
Jia Yingdong – Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Design, Zhejiang Provincial Department of Construction
Weng Jianxiong – Chairman of Gongtou Development
Wang Qunli – Senior Planner, Founder of City Secrets, and Urban Research Expert

Attending guests (in no particular order) included: Chen Guiqiu, Deputy Director of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee of the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Congress and Chief Technical Advisor of Zhejiang Urban and Rural Planning & Design Institute; Wu Yaming, Deputy General Manager of Zhejiang Daily Media Holding Group and General Manager and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Chao News; Huang Na, Deputy Director of the Real Estate Registration Center, Hangzhou Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources; Long Yuhong, Deputy Director of International Exchange Division, Hangzhou Foreign Affairs Office; Gu Quan, Party Secretary and Executive Secretary-General of Hangzhou Survey and Design Industry Association; Wang Guoyu, Former Party Secretary of the same association; Tang Hairu, Member of the Advisory Committee of Hangzhou Municipal Party Committee and Government and Former Chief Engineer of Hangzhou Planning & Design Institute; Huang Yan, Director of the West Lake Scenic Area Planning and Natural Resources Bureau; Professors He Yong, Wang Ka, and Associate Professor Pu Xincheng from the College of Civil Engineering and Architecture at Zhejiang University; Xu Shiwen, Deputy General Manager and Chief Architect at Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Architectural Design and Research, and Master of Engineering Survey and Design of Zhejiang Province; Qiu Yundan, Party Committee Member and Deputy General Manager (Vice Dean) of the same institute; Jiang Ji, General Manager and Chief Architect of Hangzhou Architectural Design & Research Institute Co., Ltd.; Cui Guangya, Chief Architect of Hanjia Design Group; Zhang Xiaoxiao, Chief Architect of GOA (Group of Architects); Liu Ke, Deputy Dean and Chief Architect of the Landscape Architecture Institute at China Academy of Art; Huang Tao, Director of the Sixth Institute at China United Engineering Corporation; Xu Qing, Principal Architect of the Fourth Architectural Design Institute at Zhejiang University of Technology Engineering Design Group; Sun Yong, Executive Vice President of Qiancheng Architecture; Bu Shanshan, General Manager of Phoenix Real Estate Zhejiang and Secretary-General of Hangzhou Real Estate Industry Association; Zhan Yuan, Partner at LYCS Architecture; Ren Tian, Principal Architect at Rentian Architecture Studio; and Huang Mingjian, Founder of MOMENTUM Architecture.

Guest speeches focused on urban-rural development and design practices in Zhejiang Province

In his speech, Deputy Director Zhang Qingyun emphasized that the exhibition, held at LOFT49 Phase II—designed by line+—is a successful recent example of “design-led organic renewal” in Zhejiang Province. He noted that the exhibition theme, Order Amidst Contradiction, accurately addresses the structural tensions in today’s urban and rural development. More than a showcase of architectural achievements, it serves as a platform for professional dialogue and exchange. He stated that the Provincial Department of Construction will continue to encourage and support the development of innovative design and public cultural initiatives, and will back line+ as well as other design institutions and social organizations in working together to contribute ideas and efforts toward Zhejiang’s high-quality development.

△ Zhang Qingyun, Party Leadership Member, Deputy Director-General, and First-Class Inspector of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Construction

District Mayor Ao Yuxin remarked that Gongshu District, where the exhibition is being held, is a core urban area that blends the thousand-year cultural heritage of the Grand Canal with a modern digital industry. It bears the weight of rich historical legacy while showcasing vibrant, forward-looking development. Facing multiple challenges such as the renovation of old neighborhoods and the renewal of industrial heritage sites, Gongshu is actively exploring paths that integrate tradition and modernity. He expressed hope that the diverse design practices and forward-thinking ideas presented in this exhibition will offer new inspiration and possibilities for urban regeneration, contributing to the high-quality development of Gongshu District.

△ Ao Yuxin, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Gongshu District Committee and District Mayor of Hangzhou

Director Jia Yingdong also noted in his speech that, as the exhibition theme Order Amidst Contradiction suggests, the architectural design industry is currently facing challenges from shifting external conditions and an overall industry downturn. In this era of stock renewal, how to achieve “design empowerment” has become a shared concern for the government, the industry, and the design community. In recent years, the Provincial Department of Construction has been actively improving policy mechanisms, fostering a healthy and orderly professional ecosystem, and promoting good design in service of society and the people.

△ Jia Yingdong, Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Design, Zhejiang Provincial Department of Construction

From Hangzhou’s Shanshui to a Global Perspective, line+ Shapes a Contemporary Expression of Local Chinese Architecture

Meng Fanhao and Zhu Peidong, co-founders and principal architects of line+, served as curators of the exhibition and shared their curatorial intent and concept on site. They noted that as an architectural firm born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, line+ has grown within the city’s open, inclusive, and pragmatic environment—actively responding to changing times and exploring ways for architecture to engage in dialogue between local culture and contemporary expression. At the same time, line+ continues to expand its global outlook, participating in projects across North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia, responding to globalization with both professional competence and cultural confidence. Starting with 37 projects in Hangzhou and extending to 58 representative cases nationwide and abroad, the exhibition systematically presents line+’s practice path within China's urbanization process—guided by diversity in typology, high-quality control, and the concept of “spatial empowerment.”

△ Meng Fanhao, Co-founder and Principal Architect of line+

△ Zhu Peidong, Co-founder and Principal Architect of line+

Urban research expert Wang Qunli gave a special introduction to the “Hangzhou 2049” urban vision section, jointly curated by line+ and the urban think tank media platform City Secrets. Through research and proposals for areas such as Hubin Kaiyuan Road, Wushan District, and Huanghu in Yuhang, the section envisions the diversity and imagination of future urban public spaces.

△ Wang Qunli, Senior Planner, Founder of City Secrets, and Urban Research Expert

Presenting the Opportunities and Challenges of China’s Architectural Marketization from Multiple Dimensions

On the opening day, Meng Fanhao and Zhu Peidong led a guided tour for the guests and audience. The exhibition is composed of six sections: Shanshui and Urban Affairs, Everyday and Extraordinary, Landmark and Coordinate, Continuity and Renewal, Dwelling and Living, and Heritage and Isomorphism. Each section is framed by a pair of corresponding or contrasting keywords, offering thematic threads that span a wide spectrum—from cultural landmarks to urban regeneration, from corporate headquarters to rural revitalization, and from public spaces to international practice.

Shanshui and Urban Affairs tells the story of line+’s roots in Hangzhou, shaped by its shanshui (landscape) culture and evolving in symbiosis with it.
Everyday and Extraordinary focuses on public architecture and public space—two concepts that are closely intertwined yet occasionally in conflict—exploring how design can foster a more human-centered everyday experience.
Landmark and Coordinate centers on large-scale, complex buildings, viewing them not merely as symbols of scale, but as touchpoints for connection and interaction.
Continuity and Renewal responds to the broader context of rural revitalization, examining how thoughtful design can bring vitality and hope to modern rural life.
Dwelling and Living explores how to seek balance through iterative design within the commodified and homogenized landscape of residential real estate.
Heritage and Isomorphism presents a series of small-scale installation works that investigate the dialogue between contemporary materials and traditional construction methods.

The exhibition is an “act” in itself

The exhibition is specially located on the second floor of Building 6 in LOFT49 Phase II—a site currently undergoing urban renewal led by line+. Situated in an industrial heritage complex by the Grand Canal, the project was initiated by line+ in 2022 and involves the renovation of two factory buildings along with a 90,000-square-meter commercial expansion. The exhibition runs in parallel with the ongoing construction, offering a full view of the architect’s presence and process, and turning the “work site” itself into a tangible expression of architectural practice.

At the end of the exhibition, a special interactive section titled “What kind of city do we want?” invites the public to take part in co-creating a vision for the future of Hangzhou. The exhibition will run until September 25, and all are warmly welcome to visit and participate.