2018 Architecture Awards

Build 2018 Architecture Awards 38 Best International Architecture & Engineering Firm 2018 - China J.A.O. Design International is one of the largest multi-discipline international design firms based in China. We profile the firm to explore the secrets behind its incredible success. Planning Commission, between 1990 and 1994. He has been engaged as the senior consultant on city planning and development by some 38 provinces, cities and counties--- a record no one before him and it will be a tough act for anyone to follow. He has also trained over 140,000 local officials on modern city planning theories and methodologies, and economic development. He is monikered as the “urban doctor” by the Chinese Central Government. Although China is one of the largest design market in the world, but due to its unique cultural and political system, it is very difficult for international firm to sustain its operation here. Different than other international firms who wants the Chinese clients to follow the international norms, J.A.O. Design adopted “Think Global and Act Local” as its motto for doing business. Almost 100% of its clients are governmental agencies, and this motto helps the firm to provide them with the solutions they need. Ultimately, J.A.O. Design is dedicated to supporting its clients across China, and has many exciting new projects across the region. Over the coming years, the firm expects to undertake an increasing amount of top design for the growing number of affluent Chinese consumers it is seeing. This offers the firm many exciting opportunities which it looks forward to taking advantage of. .A.O. Design started practicing in New York City in 1984, renovating several office buildings in mid-town Manhattan. The firm moved to Flushing, Queens, in 1985, to do many new residential buildings. The Queens Builders Association awarded the firm as the best design firm in 1986, and according to Dodge Report on Construction, in 1987, 1988, 25% of the new buildings constructed in Queens were designed by James Jao Associates, the predecessor of J.A.O. Design International. James Jao Associates merged with Steven Leach Associates in Hong Kong in 1996, and it moved to Hong Kong the same year to performed many corporate interior projects throughout Asia. The name of the company changed from James Jao Associated to J.A.O. Design International in 1998 to do more architecture services in the greater China region, including the Sui An Tower in Shanghai, the Bank of Construction headquarters building in Suzhou, the headquarters building for Zhongguancun in Beijing, and etc. In 2001 the firm moved its headquarters from Hong Kong to Beijing to cope with the ever growing demand from it’s Chinese clients. Today, the firm offers city planning, town planning, architecture design, landscape design, high-end interior design, mostly to the Chinese local government and a few very large state-owned-enterprise (SOE). So far, the firm has planned some 4200 square kilometres of new towns, has designed some 90 million square meters of new buildings, and some 45 hectares of landscape design, and 200,000 square meters of interior design. Currently, the firm has projects in 89 cities in China. One of these recent projects is the planning of nine water front sites along Yalu River by the Dandong Municipal Government. This is the river between China and North Korea, which is not only environmentally sensitive but also politically sensitive. J.A.O. Design’s plans were approved by the local authorities in 2016. Once they are built, they will greatly enhance both tourism and economic development for this region. Founder Mr. James C. Jao, NCARB, AIA, RA, SAFEA, was the first Asian Planning Commissioner in the history of the New York City J AR180031 Company: J.A.O. Design International Ltd. Contact: James Jao Address: No. 8 Tuofangying South Road, Xinhua Technology Building, Room 816, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100016, China Phone: 0086 10 8587 5222 Website: www.jaodesign.com