As SAOTA celebrates its 40th anniversary, the globally respected South African architecture firm has brought its landmark retrospective exhibition to China.
The exhibition is not merely a retrospective. It is a forward-looking conversation about how architecture, landscape, technology, and lifestyle can come together to shape the next chapter of high-quality living.
With strategic support from YARDCOM, an outdoor lifestyle brand, the show builds on the successful collaboration with SAOTA at the 2026 Salone del Mobile, where SAOTA designed a pavilion exploring seamless indoor-outdoor experiences.
Founded in 1986 in Cape Town, SAOTA has established itself as one of the world's leading architecture firms, with projects spanning six continents. It is known for its sensitive response to climate, topography and cultural context, creating buildings that feel both monumental and intimately connected to their surroundings.
This year, two SAOTA projects — the 9Miles Learning Centre in Cape Town and the YARDCOM Office — were shortlisted for the World Architecture Festival 2026, highlighting the firm's continued innovation in education and workplace design.
The China exhibition presents a curated selection of models, films and narratives that trace SAOTA's evolution from its South African roots to global influence.
Greg Truen, founding partner and executive director of SAOTA, reflected during the opening forum: "Architecture is not an object standing alone. It is a system that responds to place, climate and the way people live. For 40 years we have asked how buildings can become extensions of life rather than barriers to it."
That philosophy applies as much to outdoor space as indoor ones, hence YARDCOM's continued collaboration with SAOTA in Shenzhen.
Damon Ma, general manager of YARDCOM, noted: "Outdoor space is no longer an add-on. It has become an essential extension of contemporary living. Working with SAOTA allows us to translate international design vision into practical, high-quality solutions that meet the aspirations of Chinese homeowners and developers."
Lu Ke, SAOTA's East Asia and Greater China Commercial Lead, has played a central role in coordinating the China tour. His multifaceted background — spanning international project delivery, academic recognition, and cross-cultural curation — has been instrumental in ensuring the exhibition respects SAOTA's design philosophy, while resonating with Chinese audiences.
The Shenzhen station is themed "Global Vision, Future Living". It explores how technology, sustainability, and nature can reshape high-end residential experiences in the Guangdong-Hong Kong- Macao Greater Bay Area.
Visitors encounter immersive installations that demonstrate how outdoor spaces can function as the "third living system" — connecting architecture, landscape and daily life.
The exhibition also features a design forum that brings together architects, developers, designers, and cross-industry leaders to discuss pressing questions: How is daily life shifting outdoors? How can design respond to changing climate and lifestyle needs? What new relationships between technology, nature and human experience are emerging?
A local designer participating in the forum observed: "In a fast-paced city like Shenzhen, people are seeking balance. The exhibition shows how thoughtful outdoor design can create moments of calm, connection, and inspiration within high-density urban life."
While the Shenzhen station focuses on innovation and future systems, the overall China tour (including the Chengdu station) creates a dual-city narrative. Chengdu emphasizes cultural aesthetics and lifestyle harmony, demonstrating how global design can engage with China's diverse urban identities.
The SAOTA 40th Anniversary China Retrospective Exhibition is more than a celebration of past achievements. It is a platform for ongoing conversation between global design excellence and China's dynamic urban future.
In the words of one forum participant: "This is not just about buildings. It is about how we choose to live — with nature, with technology and with each other."
The exhibition remains open to the public until late July, offering visitors a rare opportunity to engage with some of the most thoughtful architectural thinking of our time.
