With its nationally and internationally renowned speakers-stars from the architectural firmament such as Britain's Martin Jochman, the brains behind the iconic Burj Al Arab Jumeirah hotel in Dubai and Japan's Junya Ishigami-the congress was a magnet for industry practitioners and observers, alike.

The future of construction was also the subject of the first International Urban Project Award, which was presented during the event.

The award went to the Helsinki Public Library Oodi.

Pfeiffer says that the project was chosen by a top-class jury from over 40 submissions. He emphasizes that attending the award ceremony was his personal highlight at BAU China 2019, and he affirms that the project is a truly impressive one.

Niklas Mahlberg accepted the award on behalf of ALA Architects: "We are very delighted to have received the IUPA and to have had the possibility to exchange ideas with international colleagues at BAU Congress China. The Oodi Library is a future-oriented building bringing new meaning to the urban environment and empowering the entire community-and also an example of a holistically sustainable and energy-efficient approach. It is therefore well-aligned with the themes of both the BCC and the IUPA."

At the Prefabrication Materials and Green Building Forum, experts also exchanged views on modern production processes and discussed how the prefabrication of structural components can help improve environmental compatibility.