Beijing gains 2029 World Capital of Architecture title

Beijing has been designated the UNESCO-UIA World Capital of Architecture for 2029, placing the Chinese capital at the centre of a global programme examining how architecture and urban planning can create more sustainable and liveable cities.

UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany approved the designation following a recommendation from the Joint UNESCO-International Union of Architects Committee for the World Capital of Architecture, chaired by French architect Dominique Perrault. Beijing will become the fourth city to hold the title after Rio de Janeiro, Copenhagen and Barcelona.

The designation recognises Beijing’s combination of centuries-old architectural heritage, large-scale urban transformation and efforts to integrate conservation with contemporary development. The city will stage a year-long programme of exhibitions, conferences, educational initiatives and public events in 2029, alongside the UIA World Congress of Architects.

Beijing’s programme will operate under the theme “Back to Balance”, exploring the relationship between people, nature and technology. Organisers intend to examine how architecture can contribute to social cohesion, environmental sustainability and a more human-centred approach to technological change.

The UIA World Congress of Architects is provisionally scheduled for June 18-21, 2029. Architects, urban planners, researchers, students, policymakers and cultural institutions from around the world are expected to participate. Beijing was selected in Copenhagen in July 2023 to host the congress and the UIA General Assembly.

The World Capital of Architecture initiative was established jointly by UNESCO and the UIA to highlight the influence of architecture, urban design and culture on sustainable development. UNESCO designates the host of the triennial UIA congress as World Capital of Architecture, giving each selected city an opportunity to become an international forum for debate about the future of urban environments.

Beijing presents an unusually broad architectural landscape for that discussion. Imperial complexes such as the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven coexist with traditional hutong neighbourhoods, monumental 20th-century structures and contemporary landmarks including the CCTV Headquarters, National Stadium and China Zun skyscraper.

The Beijing Central Axis, stretching through the historic core of the capital, was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2024. It joins other internationally recognised heritage sites within the municipality, including the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Zhoukoudian archaeological site and sections of the Great Wall and Grand Canal.

Preserving that heritage while meeting the requirements of a vast modern metropolis has become a central challenge for Beijing’s planners. Regeneration programmes have increasingly sought to improve older neighbourhoods without relying solely on large-scale demolition and reconstruction, reflecting a broader shift towards protecting historic urban character while upgrading infrastructure and public spaces.

The 2029 designation is expected to place those policies under international scrutiny while allowing Beijing to showcase projects that combine conservation, adaptive reuse and contemporary design. It also gives architects and planners an opportunity to examine how rapidly growing cities can protect cultural identity while responding to climate pressures, demographic change and new technology.

“As we look towards Beijing 2029, we are confident that the city’s extraordinary architectural heritage, dynamic urban transformation, and forward-looking vision will inspire new international dialogue on the power of architecture in improving people’s lives and in safeguarding shared heritage for future generations,” El-Enany said when announcing the designation.

Beijing previously hosted the UIA World Congress in 1999, when the gathering adopted the Beijing Charter under the theme “Architecture of the 21st Century”. The document became an important reference in discussions about architectural development and urbanisation during a period of rapid construction across China.

The 2029 congress will return to many of those questions in a markedly different environment. Climate resilience, artificial intelligence, ageing populations, affordable housing and the environmental cost of construction have become increasingly prominent concerns for architects and governments.