OPEN Architecture

What OPEN Architecture does

OPEN Architecture is a Beijing-based architectural design practice founded in 2008/2009 by Li Hu (李虎) and Huang Wenjing (黄文菁), specializing in cultural, educational, and public architecture with an emphasis on nature-integrated and adaptive-reuse design. The firm delivers full-service architectural design from concept through construction administration, with the majority of its built portfolio concentrated in large-scale civic and cultural facilities — most prominently the UCCA Dune Art Museum on Bohai Bay (2018, 930 sqm subterranean art museum beneath sand dunes), Tank Shanghai (2019, conversion of five abandoned aviation fuel tanks into a 10,845 sqm art center), the Chapel of Sound (山谷音乐厅, 2021, a 790 sqm semi-outdoor concert hall at the base of the Great Wall), and Sun Tower (时光塔, 2024, a 4,962 sqm oceanfront cultural facility in Yantai whose form is derived from annual solar trajectories). Two further large commissions — the 10,876 sqm Shede Culture Museum (topped out January 2026, completion spring 2027) and the 12,200 sqm Meitu Cube Visual Arts Center (groundbreaking April 2026) — are currently under construction, while completed and ongoing work spans 10+ countries including China, Australia, the United States, Italy, Brazil, the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, and Japan.

The firm's design methodology centers on three proprietary capabilities: nature-integrated architecture (e.g., geometry derived from celestial and environmental cycles, exemplified by Sun Tower and UCCA Dune), adaptive reuse of industrial and vernacular heritage (Tank Shanghai, Art Vessels), and integration of sustainable building systems (geothermal, rainwater collection, photovoltaics, natural ventilation, as in the Shede Culture Museum and Meitu Cube). Underlying the design work is a partner-led studio model in which Li Hu and Huang Wenjing personally drive competition entries and concept development, supported by repeat engineering partnerships with Arup, the China Academy of Building Research, Tongji University Architectural Design Institute, and the China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute for local execution. Technology use is conventional for the architecture industry: building information modeling, environmental simulation, and standard documentation tools — there is no disclosed proprietary technology platform, software product, or AI/ML capability.

OPEN's business model is a professional services practice generating revenue through design fees, typically a percentage of construction cost or fixed fees by service phase, billed under multi-year project contracts acquired via architectural competitions, invited commissions from cultural institutions and government bodies, and direct engagements with private developers and corporate patrons. Customers span four primary segments — cultural institutions (UCCA, Powerhouse Museum), educational institutions (Tsinghua University, Beijing No.4 Middle School, Mountain Kingston Bilingual School), real estate developers (Aranya 阿那亚, Shanghai West Bund Development Group), and an emerging corporate-patrons segment (Shede Liquor 舍得酒业, Meitu Inc. 美图公司). The firm is privately held by its two founding partners, with no disclosed institutional investment, parent entity, or external funding; brand and pipeline are cultivated through international biennale participation, Rizzoli monographs, visiting professorships at Harvard GSD and UC Berkeley, and coverage in outlets such as the New York Times, CNN, Domus, Dezeen, and Architectural Record. The firm has accumulated over 30 international awards since 2012, including the 2019 ArchDaily Building of the Year (UCCA Dune) and the 2025 CTBUH Award of Excellence (Sun Tower), and is collected in the permanent collections of MoMA and M+ Hong Kong.

Name

OPEN Architecture

Legal name

OPEN Architecture

Website

https://openarch.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OPEN Architecture is a Beijing-based, partner-led architectural practice founded in 2008 by Li Hu and Huang Wenjing that designs cultural, educational, and public buildings for institutions, developers, universities, and corporate patrons across China and internationally, with signature work including UCCA Dune, Tank Shanghai, Chapel of Sound, and Sun Tower.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architectural Design Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Interior Design Services (541410)

akta.pro primary industry

Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Landscape Architecture & Site Design (BPAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Cultural architecture design
• Architectural design services
• Sustainable building design
• Museum and gallery design
• Public space architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Beijing

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Architectural Design Services: Full-service architectural design from concept through construction administration for cultural, educational, and public buildings. Revenue is generated through design fees, typically a percentage of construction cost, with additional charges for schematic design, design development, construction documents, and construction observation phases.
2. Interior Design and Renovation: Interior design services for cultural institutions, commercial spaces, and adaptive reuse projects, often integrated with architectural commissions.
3. Exhibition and Curatorial Design: Spatial design for exhibitions, museums, and cultural institutions, including the design for opening exhibitions at major museums like Powerhouse Parramatta.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

OPEN Architecture is a Beijing-based architectural design practice that provides full-service architectural design, interior design, and exhibition/curatorial design for cultural, educational, and public buildings. Projects span concept design through construction administration for clients including major museums, art foundations, educational institutions, and government bodies. The firm also offers the HEX-SYS modular architectural system and specializes in adaptive reuse of industrial structures and sustainable, nature-integrated building designs.

Product overview

OPEN Architecture is an architecture firm founded by Li Hu and Huang Wenjing, not a software product company. The firm specializes in designing cultural buildings (museums, art centers, concert halls), educational facilities, and public spaces across China. Their portfolio includes major completed projects such as UCCA Dune Art Museum, Tank Shanghai, Chapel of Sound, and Sun Tower, as well as ongoing projects like Shede Culture Museum and Meitu Cube Visual Arts Center. The firm's design philosophy emphasizes connection between architecture, nature, and human experience, with sustainable and innovative approaches to each project.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Architectural Design Services Full-service architectural design from concept through construction administration for cultural, educational, and public buildings. Revenue generated through design fees as a percentage of construction cost or fixed fees per project service phase.
• Interior Design and Renovation Interior design services for cultural institutions, commercial spaces, and adaptive reuse projects, typically integrated with architectural commissions.
• Exhibition and Curatorial Design Spatial design for exhibitions, museums, and cultural institutions, including exhibition design for major museums such as Powerhouse Parramatta.
• HEX-SYS / 六边体系 Modular Architectural System Modular architectural system composed of hexagonal units that can be configured for different functions. Won Interior Design Best of Year Award in the Green category in 2016 and selected as Archilovers Best Project 2015.

Quantifiable outcome

• UCCA Dune Art Museum selected as ArchDaily 2019 Building of the Year in Cultural Category from 4000+ entries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Arup (奥雅纳)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018Arup serves as structural and MEP engineering advisor on major OPEN projects including Sun Tower, Chapel of Sound, and Tank Shanghai. Their engineering expertise enables complex architectural forms and sustainable building systems.
• dUCKS scénocoreTechnology or IntegrationMuseum exhibition design consultant collaborating with OPEN on multiple cultural projects including Sun Tower museum exhibition design and Shenzhen Maritime Museum competition.
• Aric ChencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCuratorial advisor and former MoMA curator who writes forewords for OPEN publications and provides exhibition curation consulting for projects.
• Zhang Nan (Director)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilm director collaborated with OPEN on 'Nature Trilogy' video installation for Venice Architecture Biennale 2025, creating cinematic interpretation of OPEN's built works.
• Iwan Baan (Photographer)majorOthersInternationally renowned architectural photographer who has documented multiple OPEN projects including Sun Tower and Tank Shanghai.
• China Academy of Building Research (中国建筑科学研究院)coreTechnology or IntegrationStructural, MEP, and energy efficiency consultant on Shede Culture Museum and other major projects, providing engineering and sustainability expertise.
• Tongji University Architectural Design Institute (同济大学建筑设计研究院)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal design institute partner collaborating on Tank Shanghai and other Shanghai-based projects.
• China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute (中国建筑西南设计研究院)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal design institute providing construction documentation and engineering for Shede Culture Museum project in Sichuan.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SANAA: Japanese practice of Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, comparable for museum and cultural building typologies with emphasis on transparency, landscape, and experiential spatial design.
• MAD Architects: Beijing-headquartered practice led by Ma Yansong, also founded by a former Steven Holl Architects colleague. Comparable focus on nature-integrated, sculptural cultural architecture and similar Chinese-base + international profile.
• Atelier Deshaus: Shanghai-based Chinese practice with comparable cultural-architecture portfolio, similar boutique scale, and overlapping Chinese cultural-institution clientele.
• Snøhetta: Norwegian-headquartered practice with comparable focus on cultural buildings, libraries, and opera houses, and similar nature-integrated, context-sensitive design approach. Overlaps in cultural institution clientele.
• Sou Fujimoto Architects: Tokyo-based practice of Sou Fujimoto with shared emphasis on nature-integrated design, transparency, and experiential public architecture. Comparable in scale and design philosophy.
• Steven Holl Architects: New York-based practice where OPEN's co-founder Li Hu was previously a partner. Closely matched design philosophy emphasizing light, materiality, and cultural programming; similar museum, university, and arts-center portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Zaha Hadid Architects: Global architecture incumbent with marquee cultural and performing arts commissions worldwide. Comparable in international profile and museum/arts-center typology, but at significantly larger scale and broader typology coverage.
• MVRDV: Dutch practice with cultural-building commissions and strong sustainability/adaptive-reuse positioning. Comparable in innovative design profile but with broader typology and larger scale.
• OMA: Rotterdam-headquartered Rem Koolhaas practice with deep cultural-institution portfolio and global reach. Comparable in operating at the intersection of cultural architecture, urbanism, and academic discourse.
• BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group): Copenhagen/New York-based practice with comparable high-profile cultural building commissions and strong international brand. Operates at much larger scale and broader typology.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/open-architecture

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 OPEN Architecture