ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I want to reflect upon an architecture that is more difficult to discover than fancy Shanghai skyscrapers and the Disneyland residences of the suburbs of major Chinese cities because it develops in the province. Over the last 10 years, an architectural phenomenon that is difficult to classify has made its appearance in the shadow of international architectural competition and concerns mainly “semi-official” buildings like universities and museums but not official projects like government buildings. I will present two buildings (that are very different from each other) but that have come to my attention in Hangzhou, a provincial city two hours southwest of Shanghai.
