China has become renowned in recent years for having some of the most diverse, colourful and strange architecture in the world. The rapid development of the country and a thriving business class has seen the skylines of many cities transformed by unique and unusual buildings. Last week ,the president of China, Xi Jinping, delivered a two hour statement in Beijing saying that the buildings constructed from now on should be morally inspirational rather than just looking unusual. This could put a stop to some of the more lavish architectural projects we have been seeing in recent years.

One of the most striking buildings can be found in Huainan in the Anhui province. The building is shaped like a giant piano with a glass violin forming the atrium. A roof terrace shaded by the lid of the piano is one of the best aspects of the design. Locals have taken to the property and many refer to it as “the most romantic building in China”.

Another building that stands out is the 74 metre tall, world record holding Meitan Tea Museum in Guizhou province. Shaped like a giant teapot, the structure celebrates the birthplace of Chinese green tea and even comes complete with a separate cup shaped building to complete the design.

Giant stone sculptures have been a part of Chinese culture for centuries, but the Tianzi Hotel in Hebei is particularly notable for its colour and character. The hotel is 10 storeys high and shaped in the likenesses of Fu (the god of good fortune), Lu (god of prosperity) and Shou (god of longevity).

A design trend in China followed on from the completion of the National Centre for Performance Arts in Beijing in 2007. The giant egg shaped building inspired countless spin-off designs including the Galaxy Soho, Henan Arts Centre and Phoenix Island. All of the properties have an ultra-modern look and stand out because of their sleek shapes.

Arched buildings are also popular in China and there are countless examples to take note of. One of the most prominent is the luxurious Sheraton Hotel in Huzhou. The 27 story hotel looks like a giant oval partially submerged in Taihu Lake. The Gate of the Orient in Suzhou is also noteworthy because it is the largest gateway building in the world towering an incredible 74 storeys.

With the President’s statement we could soon see an end to the more unusual buildings in China, but a new wave of thought provoking and inspiring properties is likely to follow. As an inventive and modern architect in London, we aim to place the same amount of imagination and creativity into all the work we carry out.