Chinese New Year 2026: 12 auspiciously red buildings that challenge conventional architecture

Despite the city’s explicit directive not to use brick in its construction, the Muddus Block ironically became the Norra Djurgårdsstaden district’s neighbourhood icon with its vibrant red glazed brick façade.

Designed by Wingårdhs Arkitekter, the residential complex of 100 apartments located in Stockholm’s environmentally profiled district features a specially formulated glaze developed at Sweden's Östersund-Brunflo brick company. 

Later dubbed “Chanel No. 2,” this chemical fixing of pigments in the glazing ensures exceptional colorfastness, maintaining the building’s dramatic appearance despite exposure to sunlight.

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The commitment to the red theme led to a refined material palette that influenced the entire design of the seven-storey complex with two building volumes. Instead of conventional sheet metal, brick was used for window and door surrounds, ventilation grills, and windowsills. 

This disciplined approach also resulted in a harmonious design with standardised elements: windows in only two widths (0.9 and 1.5 metres) and uniform 2.5-sqm balconies featuring red laminated glass fronts.

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Located in Seoul’s Mangwon-dong area in South Korea, the red-tiled exterior of the Cascade House, reminiscent of the video game Minecraft, is a bold counterpoint amidst the neighbourhood’s typically regulation-driven architecture.

Designed by AOA Architects, who drew inspiration from both Belgian stepped gables and colourful Lego bricks, the entire building is clad in glossy red tiles with white tile joints, while its corners are accented by rough stone panels that also frame each window of the five-residence apartment.

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Rising from a ground-floor shop, an open undercroft at street level gives a sense of lightness to the imposing stepped gables above, supported by concrete pillars that provide both parking space and a semi-private area.

Inside, a central stair leads into the living room, where a marble pillar sits at the centre of two sliding wooden doors that open to the single or two-bedrooms and kitchen, where, separated by a glass-brick partition, the same pixel-like red tiles from the exterior are echoed in the splashbacks.

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Form communicates directly to function for the fire station in Antwerp’s Wilrijk district, where its striking red glazed brick exterior encompasses a three-storey structure with a thoughtful stacking arrangement.

Designed by Dutch studio Happel Cornelisse Verhoeven, the façade’s tectonic design features red glazed bricks in both large and small formats, accentuated by bright white grout, red painted cordon bands, and deep purple window frames.

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Vertical piers are placed rhythmically in two distinct layers, with the outer layer creating a grid of thick piers at ground level, and subtle ten-centimetre setback between each level. Becoming more slender and decreasing proportionally in height on the upper floors, it culminates at the corner tower, where it houses technical facilities and displays bold white “Brandweer” (fire brigade) signage.

The main interior spaces are more modest and utilitarian in design, with no traces of red to be found amidst its concrete and cross-laminated timber (CLT) wall partitions. Comprising a double-height garage at ground level, with office spaces and living quarters on the subsequent levels, the fire station generates its own energy via a solar boiler, a heat pump and rooftop solar panels.

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In the city of Bogor, south of Jakarta, Indonesia, the Stack By Step Red Zone boarding house accommodates 11 dormitory rooms efficiently despite its modest 178-sqm footprint, through innovative spatial design by Ismail Solehudin Architecture.

Its fragmented sloping roof and red metal façade create what is described as a “cumulative stacked house” appearance, promoting air circulation throughout the building; whereas the use of Zincalume-coated steel strategically reduces the structural load.

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Responding thoughtfully to its tropical climate and urban context, the modern aesthetic is enhanced by the interplay between the red metal walls and exposed brickwork, offering a compelling textural contrast that evolves naturally over time, minimising maintenance requirements while maintaining the building’s striking appearance.

Traditional corridors are replaced with a sculptural staircase in the compact interior space, which not only maximises the use of limited space but also permits ample natural light to filter through the social spaces.

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Completed in 2023 by China IPPR, the Long March Cultural Digital Art Museum in Guiyang, China, is a 53,000-sqm structure distinguished by its most prominent feature: two dramatic red ribbons that crown the building’s roof.

The design concept, known as “Red Ribbon on the Earth,” responds ingeniously to the site’s topography by embedding most of the building’s mass into the mountainside, harmonising with its surroundings while maintaining its bold visual impact that seems to emerge from the landscape.

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Symbolically representing the historical Long March—a military retreat by the Chinese Red Army and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in the mid-1930s, the red colouration of the façade’s sinuous forms responds dynamically to the changing environmental conditions. Rather than maintaining a static red hue, the polished surface reflects varying colours of sky and ground, creating a more nuanced visual experience that evolves throughout the day. 

Parametric design methods achieve the smooth, precise curves of the ribbons, while strategic apertures between the structural steel frames create dramatic plays of light and shadow in the corridors below.

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Amidst the 25-hectare olive grove estate near Rona in Andulasia, Spain, La Almazara’s striking red minimalist cube houses an olive oil mill, museum, and restaurant, serving as a one-stop destination for oleotourism in the region.

Designed by French architect Philippe Starck, who described the monolithic structure “as if fallen from the sky,” features a stark geometric form that contrasts dramatically with its surroundings. Symbolic elements adorn its façade–including a Corten steel bull’s horn and a carved eye–speak to both the region’s olive-producing heritage and its connections to surrealist art.

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The monumental presence is softened by thoughtful details, including a cantilevered terrace supported by large metal chains, offering panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.

The restaurant area features a metal pipe and funnel alluding to the site’s oil production history, while a wing-like form commemorates the Andalusian scientist thought to be the first human to fly. 

Furthermore, an oversized bullfighting sword is positioned above the fireplace seating area, with the exterior’s horn and half-olive forms projecting inward beneath a ceiling-spanning mural.

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Designed by Portland-based Waechter Architecture, the Corollary Wines tasting room serves as a focal point in Oregon’s 57-acre Willamette Valley estate, with a vibrant red metal exterior cladding that is both practical and symbolic. 

Specifically chosen to match the label of Corollary’s flagship wine, Cuvée One, while also paying homage to the region’s traditional red agricultural buildings, the exterior utilises box-rib metal siding, selected for its durability and ease of maintenance—practical considerations for a working winery.

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The angular structure features a butterfly roof that combines fully enclosed spaces with semi-open areas protected by operable chain curtains, allowing for flexible indoor-outdoor experiences while maintaining protection from the elements. 

Inside, the tasting room contrasts the bold exterior with warm, locally-sourced white oak panelling, creating an inviting atmosphere for visitors. The intentional use of oak also connects to both the winemaking process and the property’s natural environment, where oak trees remain as remnants of the former forest.

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While not a building in the conventional sense, the Lucky Knot Bridge has already been recognised by CNN as one of the “most spectacular bridges that breaks the mold.”

Designed by NEXT Architects–combining the Dutch team’s expertise in infrastructure and water management with the Chinese team’s deep understanding of the local context–the pedestrian bridge spans 185 metres across the Dragon King Harbour River in Changsha, China.

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Inspired by the infinite Möbius ring and traditional Chinese knot art, the bridge takes on a sculptural, looping form that undulates in a continuous flow, evoking movement and infinity.

Its design references the symbolism of Chinese knotting, where knots represent luck and prosperity, further amplified by the use of red–a colour deeply embedded in cultural identity and meaning. 

Offering a dynamic journey over water, the bridge frames panoramic views of the river, Meixi Lake, Changsha’s skyline and the surrounding mountain range. 

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Integral to Changsha’s large-scale master plan for the emerging New Lake District, the Lucky Knot also operates as a multi-level connector, linking riverbanks, roads, elevated parks and intersecting pedestrian pathways into a single, integrated circulation network.

Balancing low-cost construction with architectural quality, Flex-Red by Portuguese firm Cerejeira Fontes Architects is a compact yet expressive 24-unit residential project spanning approximately 2,900 sqm.

Clad in a striking red metal façade, the curving form is perforated and corrugated by a series of openings that vary in size and position, creating a dynamic elevation while providing solar protection and shading for the balconies, and contributing to improved thermal comfort during warmer months.

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Within these incisions, closets are strategically positioned at the outer limits of the structure, while sheltered balconies are carved into the façade, adding depth and inhabitable thresholds between interior and exterior. 

Meanwhile, the main entrance is marked by a subtle deviation in the façade’s alignment, introducing a moment of spatial emphasis within the otherwise continuous red surface.

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At ground level, the semi-buried garage is an open space that allows the residential volumes above to appear visually lighter. Whereas, each floor is organised around a central axis that accommodates vertical circulation, with enlarged arrival areas ensuring clarity of movement and access to the individual apartments.

Located at the entrance to Xi’an’s Datang Everbright City, south of the iconic Giant Wild Goose Pagoda, the Qujiang Museum of Fine Arts anchors the surrounding urban fabric while accommodating expanded cultural and commercial functions with minimal impact on nearby galleries.

Designed by Neri&Hu, the monolithic structure is composed of four articulated parts: a partially sunken base, a circular Sculptural Walk enclosure, an elevated podium, and the crowning Monument.

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The base, finished in cast-in-place concrete and partially recessed below plaza level, serves as a continuous platform for public activity. Retained wide steps descend to a sunken piazza, where former museum spaces and restaurants sit alongside newly integrated facilities, connecting seamlessly with the adjacent pedestrian street.

From the ground-level plaza, a concealed series of escalators leads to the underground museum, navigating the Sculptural Walk’s dynamic interplay of compression and expansion, and culminating beneath a triple-storey light well that animates the subterranean environment.

Above, the podium employs a post-and-lintel grid of stone columns and glass curtain walls supporting a floating roof, clearly delineating the retail level below from the sculpted civic massing above.

Capping the composition, the Monument features diamond-shaped red travertine masonry that modulates light, housing a lounge and an outdoor, bowl-shaped amphitheatre.

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The Hillel House at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania–also known as The Raymond G Perelman Center for Jewish Life–is a square, four-storey community centre designed by award-winning architectural firm Stanley Saitowitz | Natoma Architects from San Francisco.

Referencing the historic brick architecture in Philadelphia, the terraced volume is clad in locally sourced red brick, its recessed and protruding pattern catching and reflecting daylight. 

Furthermore, the textured masonry simultaneously evokes an abstract menorah and the stripes of a prayer shawl (tallit), embedding Jewish symbolism directly into the building’s form.

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Inside, the structure is organised around a central vertical courtyard, a multi-level spine that connects all floors and structures circulation, social interaction, and spatial experience. 

At street level, public spaces for gathering, conversation, and communal meals open onto a rear garden; while the second floor accommodates offices, study areas, and smaller gathering rooms, supporting learning, exploration, and focused activities.

The Shabbat floor on the top houses worship spaces for conservative, orthodox, and reform practices; unified by a central court capped with a circular opening to the sky–the “absent dome”–framing the clear blue sky and establishing a symbolic connection to shared faith.

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