Recently, the ICONIC AWARDS: Innovative Architecture announced its 2025 winners. Tianjin Zhongshuge , designed by X+ Living, received the program’s highest honor in the Architecture category—the Best of Best Award.
According to the organizers, this year’s competition attracted more than 560 entries from 45 countries. After rigorous evaluation, only 33 projects were awarded the Best of Best distinction, representing a winning rate of just 5%.In the architecture category, only two Chinese companies, X+Living and Vector Architects, were awarded the Best of Best.
The jury praised Zhongshuge Tianjin as “a cathedral for books… The designers have thus created a fascinating overall impression that appears harmonious from the outside to the inside.” The project redefines the sacred quality of reading through architectural language, merging spatial narrative with humanistic experience to establish a cultural landmark that balances ritual and function.
The ICONIC AWARDS: Innovative Architecture, organized by the German Design Council Foundation, is one of Europe’s most influential interdisciplinary architecture and design awards. Its evaluation criteria span visionary innovation, technical execution, sustainability, and social value, aiming to honor exemplary works that set new benchmarks for the industry.