What China Architectural Design and Research Institute Co. does

China Architectural Design and Research Institute Co. (CADG) is a central state-owned architectural design and engineering consulting enterprise founded in 1952 and headquartered in Beijing at 19 Chegongzhuang Avenue, Xicheng District. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Construction Technology Consulting Co. Ltd. (CCTC, 中国建设科技集团), a SASAC-administered central enterprise. CADG provides integrated services across architectural design, urban planning, EPC general contracting, whole-process engineering consultation, cultural heritage protection, landscape design, and scientific research, operating through 40+ directly-administered departments and 16 domestic branches across all major Chinese regions. Its client base is dominated by central and local government agencies, state-owned enterprises, and large institutional clients, with marquee projects including the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Yanqing venues (National Alpine Skiing Center, National Sliding Center), Xiong'an New Area development, the 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Expo China Pavilion, and the 2025 Japan Osaka Expo China Pavilion.

The company's underlying technical platform combines traditional architectural design disciplines with proprietary green building methodology (Green Building Design Guidelines), BIM technology, AI-assisted design tools (Revit secondary development, diffusion-model landscape generation, automated building performance simulation), complex mountain terrain engineering (assessed at international leading level), prefabricated modular construction through subsidiary Guozhu Renju, and cultural heritage research. CADG's revenue model is project-based professional services and managed services — fees are earned through tendering processes for government procurement and large institutional contracts, with additional revenue from research commercialization and technology transfer (R&D investment exceeds 4% of annual revenue). The workforce of 3,000+ includes 3 CAE Academicians (Cui Kai, Fu Xinian, Li Xinggang), 7 National Masters of Engineering Design, 1,000+ national registered professionals, and 650+ senior designers/researchers. The intellectual property portfolio spans 600+ valid patents, software copyrights, and 300+ authored national/industry standards.

The 2020 financial year showed double-digit year-over-year growth across all reported metrics — new contracts +21.82%, actual receipts +23.73%, operating revenue +18.41%, and net profit +9.57% — though absolute revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. In 2020, CADG became the first in its corporate history to win a National Science and Technology Progress First Prize. Revenue diversification efforts include expansion into the prefabricated/modular housing segment (Guozhu Renju), interior design (Interior Space Design Research Institute established 2021), and AI-augmented design tools, though the company remains structurally tied to government capital expenditure cycles.

Name

China Architectural Design and Research Institute Co.

Legal name

中国建筑设计研究院有限公司

Website

https://cadg.com.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

1952

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

China Architectural Design and Research Institute Co. (CADG) is a Beijing-headquartered, SASAC-supervised state-owned architectural design and engineering consulting firm founded in 1952, serving Chinese central and local government agencies, state-owned enterprises, and large institutional clients with integrated architectural design, urban planning, EPC, heritage protection, and landscape services across 16 domestic branches.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (541310), Architectural Services (54131), Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Drafting Services (541340)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Building Information Modeling (BIM) & Digital Design Services (BPAHAKAK), Construction Engineering & Constructability Consulting (BPAHAIAN), Civil & Structural Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAA), Construction Program Management (Multi-site/Portfolio) (IMAFAAAF), Architecture, Construction & Building Codes Reference (Design, BIM, Safety Codes) (EDAGAGAH)

Keywords

• Architectural design services
• Urban planning consulting
• EPC engineering services
• Cultural heritage conservation
• Landscape architecture services

Headquarters

HQ city

Beijing

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design and Consulting Services: Core revenue stream from providing professional architectural design, urban planning, interior design, landscape design, and engineering consulting services. Revenue generated through project-based fees for design contracts on public buildings, residential compounds, cultural venues, sports facilities, transportation hubs, and other construction projects.
2. EPC General Contracting: Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) general contracting and consultation services. CADG provides integrated project delivery combining design, procurement, and construction management.
3. Whole-process Engineering Consultation: Comprehensive consulting services covering the entire project lifecycle from pre-planning through post-evaluation, including design consulting, construction quality control, and specialized consulting.
4. Drawing Review and Technical Review Services: Subsidiary Zhongshe Antai provides integrated multi-review services for building engineering construction drawing reviews, including ultra-high-rise building reviews.
5. Research and Technology Transformation: Revenue generated from technology transfer, research collaborations, and specialized technical services. The company invests over 4% of annual revenue in R&D and generates intellectual property that supports technology commercialization.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

China Architectural Design and Research Institute Co. (CADG) is a state-owned multidisciplinary architectural design and consulting firm providing comprehensive professional services including architectural design, urban planning, EPC general contracting, cultural heritage protection, landscape design, and scientific research. It serves government agencies, state-owned enterprises, and institutional clients on technically complex public infrastructure, urban renewal, green building, and large-scale national strategic projects across China and approximately 60 countries.

Product overview

China Architectural Design and Research Institute Co. (CADG) is a state-owned architecture and design firm providing comprehensive professional services. The company operates as a multi-disciplinary design platform offering six core business segments: architectural design and consultation, urban planning and city design, EPC engineering, cultural heritage protection, landscape architecture, and scientific research. Specialized departments include the Interior Space Design Research Institute and specialized services in intelligent engineering, prefabricated buildings, green construction, BIM technology, and sponge city planning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design and Consultation (建筑工程设计与咨询) Comprehensive architectural design services for various building types including public buildings, residential compounds, cultural venues, sports facilities, transportation hubs, commercial complexes, and super-high-rise developments, delivered to government, SOE, and institutional clients.
• Urban Planning and Urban Design (城镇规划与城市设计) Urban planning, town planning, and urban design services for city governments and developers, including major projects in Xiong'an New Area, Beijing City Sub-center, and rural revitalization initiatives.
• EPC General Contracting and Consultation (EPC工程总承包与咨询) Integrated Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) general contracting and consultation services combining design, procurement, and construction management for construction projects.
• Building History Research and Cultural Heritage Protection (建筑历史研究与文化遗产保护) Research on architectural history and protection of cultural heritage sites, including traditional Chinese architecture research, World Heritage nominations, and historical building renovation.
• Landscape Architecture and Planning (风景园林与景观规划)

Quantifiable outcome

• 700+ cumulative design awards across international, national, and provincial levels since 1978; 121 Beijing Engineering Survey and Design Awards in 2021 alone
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (中国国际贸易促进委员会)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2025CADG's CAE Academician Cui Kai served as the chief designer of the concept plan for the 2025 Japan Osaka Expo China Pavilion. The pavilion (3,500 sqm, one of the largest self-built international pavilions) was commissioned by CCPIT and designed by CADG under Cui Kai's leadership. The pavilion won international attention and praise at the opening ceremony.
• Zhejiang Publishing United Group / Zhejiang Photography Publishing House (浙江出版联合集团/浙江摄影出版社)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2023Co-organized the publication launch of '陈明达全集' (Complete Works of Chen Mingda) — a major academic publication on traditional Chinese architecture history. Also co-organized the academic seminar on Chen Mingda's scholarly achievements.
• China Construction Technology Group / CCTC (中国建设科技集团股份有限公司)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 2021CADG is a subsidiary of China Construction Technology Consulting Co. Ltd. (CCTC), a large-scale science and technology-based central enterprise directly administered by SASAC. CADG operates under the Group's strategic leadership and '三新两转' (Three New, Two Transformation) strategy deployment.
• 15 Consortium Enterprises and Universities (15家企事业单位共同完成)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 November 2021The 'Complex Mountain Terrain Winter Olympic Venue Design Construction Operation Key Technology' was jointly completed by 15 organizations: Beijing North Control Jing'ao Construction, Beijing Municipal Engineering Design and Research Institute, CCCC Tunnel Engineering, Beijing Urban Construction Group, Shanghai Baoye Group, Tsinghua University, Shanghai Construction Group, Shenyang Jianzhu University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Beijing University of Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Beijing Wanji Technology, Beijing North Control Smart City Technology, and Beijing Traffic Information Center.
• China Media University (中国传媒大学)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2021Joint party-building activity with China Media University — a school-enterprise co-construction themed Party Day activity '学党史 忆先辈 永远跟党走', demonstrating CADG's collaborative relationships with educational institutions.
• I.M. Pei (贝氏建筑事务所 / Pei Partnership Architects)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 June 2021Joint design partnership for Shanghai Zhongyin Financial Center project — one of the most important landmark super-high-rise projects in Shanghai's Lingang Free Trade Zone. I.M. Pei's firm provided architectural concept design; CADG provided full technical design and project coordination. The project features distinctive twin towers with connected rooftop structures.
• Green Building Design Ecosystem Partners (百余位专家 / 100+ Experts)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 May 2021CADG led a consortium of over 100 experts from across China to develop the 'Green Building Design Guidelines' over 3 years. This collaborative effort across multiple institutions and specialties established China's leading green building design methodology.
• China Association of Persons with Assistive Devices (中国残疾人辅助器具中心)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2021Joint organizer of the '适老宜居环境研究与实践' (Accessible Elderly Housing Environment Research and Practice) exhibition in 2022, celebrating CADG's 70th anniversary. The exhibition showcased 30 years of CADG's research and practice in elderly-friendly housing design.
• Intermediate Art Museum (中间美术馆)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014CADG collaborates with Intermediate Art Museum as co-organizer of the annual '中间思库·暑期学坊' public welfare training program for architecture students and young architects, running since 2014.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• AECOM: Global architecture, engineering, and infrastructure design consultancy serving government and institutional clients. Closely comparable to CADG in providing integrated design, urban planning, and EPC services for large public infrastructure and urban development projects.
• Arup: International engineering and design consultancy with deep work in buildings, transport, and urban development. Comparable to CADG's combination of architectural design, structural engineering, and sustainability consulting for major public-sector projects.
• WSP Global: Professional services consultancy in engineering, design, and urban planning. Direct peer in serving government and institutional clients on transportation hubs, urban renewal, and large-scale public infrastructure.
• Perkins&Will: International architecture and design firm with strong healthcare, education, and civic portfolios. Comparable to CADG's institutional and public-building design practice and emphasis on sustainability and BIM.
• Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM): Premier global architecture, engineering, and urban design firm. Comparable to CADG's design of iconic supertall buildings (e.g., Ping An Lize Center) and high-profile cultural and institutional facilities.
• HOK: Global design, architecture, engineering, and planning firm with strong government, healthcare, and sports venue practices. Comparable to CADG's portfolio in public buildings, sports facilities (Winter Olympics venues), and institutional campuses.
• Tongji Architectural Design (TJAD): Leading Chinese architectural design institute affiliated with Tongji University. Closest domestic peer to CADG in scale, scope (architecture, urban planning, landscape), and academic-government project base.

Emerging players

• HDR Inc. Employee-owned architecture, engineering, and consulting firm with strong government, healthcare, and infrastructure practices. Comparable to CADG in integrated design for civic buildings and transportation hubs.

Broad incumbents

• Jacobs Solutions: Large global professional services firm with critical infrastructure and government services. Comparable in delivering integrated engineering and consulting for government clients at national scale.
• China Academy of Building Research (CABR): National building research institute under SASAC. Comparable as a state-owned building R&D platform that overlaps CADG on building standards, code development, and prefabricated housing technology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about China Architectural Design and Research Institute Co.