line+NEWS
On November 14, 2024, the award ceremony for THE PLAN AWARD took place at the Monte Rosa 91 Auditorium in Milan, Italy. Three projects designed by the team led by Mr. Meng Fanhao, co-founder and principal architect of line+, received top honors. The "Zhoushan Chai Mountain Island Elderly Care Home" and "Hangzhou Phoenix Valley Cultural and Creative Park" were named the exclusive winners in the Health | Completed and Office & Business | Future categories, respectively. Meanwhile, the "Songyang Stray Birds Art Hotel" earned an Honorable Mention in the Renovation | Completed category.
The highly competitive 2024 THE PLAN AWARD drew over 1,200 submissions from around the world. An international jury of 21 leading figures in architecture and academic research conducted three rigorous evaluation rounds to select 40 exclusive winners across 20 categories (one completed and one future project per category), with a winning rate of less than 3%. Additionally, 35 Honorable Mentions were awarded to recognize outstanding achievements in design and creativity.
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Winner
Zhoushan Chaishan Island Elderly Care Home
Transforming an abandoned elementary school into an elderly care facility reflects a functional adaptation strategy in response to declining birth rates and an aging population. The renovation focuses on enhancing spatial quality through design strategies such as reconfiguring circulation, reorganizing floor plans, and maximizing public spaces in both horizontal and vertical dimensions, all while prioritizing age-friendly design. The facility integrates healthcare functions with communal spaces for social interaction.
The architectural form draws inspiration from island fishing boats, with curved, cantilevered ends that create a distinct visual identity, evoking the image of a vessel floating on the sea. The choice of colors and materials reflects the island’s local resources and village textures, using architecture to evoke and preserve the island memories of its elderly residents.
Winner
Hangzhou Phoenix Valley Cultural and Creative Park
Nestled within a natural valley, the triangular site adopts a settlement-style layout strategy. The individual buildings are arranged in a branching Y-shape, with elongated strips that efficiently fill irregular spaces, maximize land use, and integrate multi-directional natural views.
Honorable Mention
Songyang Stray Birds Art Hotel
Perched atop steep cliffs, the centuries-old Chenjiapu Village exemplifies the typical cliffside settlement form of southwestern Zhejiang. The adaptive renovation was carried out with respect for the village’s texture, aesthetic, and the constraints of the original homesteads, guided by a systematic study of local construction techniques and a comprehensive understanding of the natural terrain.
Most structures were restored using locally sourced materials, while collapsed buildings were reconstructed within their original outlines. A hybrid approach combining traditional craftsmanship with industrial prefabrication overcame the challenging construction conditions. This method not only preserved and extended the village's traditional character but also introduced modern functionality and enhanced spatial quality to support contemporary living.
In addition, six design projects by line+ were shortlisted as Finalists. Out of over 1,200 submissions, THE PLAN AWARD 2024 selected approximately 400 Finalists after two rounds of evaluations, with a selection rate of just 30%.
THE PLAN AWARD, established by the renowned Italian design magazine THE PLAN, is an annual international design competition recognizing outstanding achievements in architecture, interior design, and urban planning. Featuring 20 distinct categories, the award attracts over a thousand submissions each year, providing architects, designers, and urban planners with a platform to engage in global discourse on critical issues shaping the industry today.
