Jiuceng Art Museum in Songyang county, Lishui, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Tide News]

Jiuceng Art Museum in Songyang county, Lishui, Zhejiang province, received the Grand Award at the 2025 DFA Design for Asia Awards.

Organized by the Hong Kong Design Center, this annual award recognizes outstanding design projects that embody Asian aesthetics and culture while making a significant impact on both the design community and society.

Located in Hengkeng village, the museum was transformed from a local rammed-earth house. It integrates China's national intangible cultural heritage — the traditional wooden arch bridge construction technique — with modern design.

Its iconic curved wooden-arch roof has become a distinctive landmark within Songyang's traditional villages.

The design team said the undulating roof was designed to echo the winding streams and gentle mountains, creating a dynamic, multi-perspective interior space.

DFA judges praised the project for perfectly interpreting the coexistence of cultural heritage and contemporary innovation from an Asian perspective. This recognition affirms not only the architecture itself but also Songyang's path of revitalizing rural areas through cultural preservation.

Since opening, the museum has hosted a variety of thematic exhibitions and attracted over 40,000 visitors, bringing new vitality to the ancient village. It also received the 2025 Canadian Wood Design & Building Award.