The Chinese government may not be celebrated for supporting Tibetan culture, but the Beijing-based design firm Standard Architecture is. Winners of the international "Architecture in Stone 2011" award from Marmomacc for the striking Niyang River Visitor Center and two other buildings in Tibet, their efforts to incorporate local materials and building techniques into their projects have not gone unrecognized. Completed in June, 2011, the attractive white visitor center on Mirui Road is an open geometric structure built mostly out of locally-sourced stone that acts as a portal to river rafting and other tourist activities. It also acts as a symbol of hope that the Chinese and Tibetans can work side by side to foster sustainable development that benefits everyone.
