GN Architects is a Chinese architecture firm based in Shanghai, founded in 2003. Its Qicheng Design Managing Partner, General Manager, is Shen Lijiang.
Shen Lijiang is Executive Director of the Standardisation Committee of the Chinese Society of Gerontology, selected as "Top 10 Leading Design Leaders in Shanghai".He has won the CIHAF Design China-China Young Architects Annual Contribution Award, A+ Awards, German National Design Award, Shenzhen Architectural Creation Gold Award and more than ten provincial and ministerial awards.
As a generalised architect, Shen Lijiang is happy to practice in various fields. The film "THE FAMILY" has won awards at many international film festivals such as Venice, Lisbon, and Slamdance. He is also the first architect in China to receive this honour.
Yiqun Guan was born in Shaoxing, Zhejiang, in 1976. He graduated from Tongji University and later pursued a master’s in Architecture at Technische Universität Berlin unter Professors Dietrich Fink und Peter Herrle. He worked at Assmann Salomon Architects in Germany, becoming a partner for their China division. Guan joined GN Architects in 2009 as a partner & design director and served as an adjunct associate professor at the Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts, Fudan University, from 2013 to 2015. Several of his works won gold awards in the Health and Wellness category at the WAN Awards from 2021 to 2022.
Guan is a leading architect and researcher in elderly care design in China. He leverages senior community design as a platform for exploring "ideal communities," emphasising the rejuvenation of neighbourhood life through proximity. His sociological design focus includes “informality,” “soft boundaries,” and “strong connections.”
He also promotes concepts like “age-friendly environments” and “Design for All.” Guan frequently shares his insights at professional forums and public media. He serves as an expert advisor to professional associations like the China Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics Standardisation Committee and has contributed to drafting several national and industry standards.
