Architecture Intelligence: A special series of Tech It Out

An all-new documentary series and a true gift for engineering enthusiasts.

Join CGTN's Yang Zhao on a captivating global journey, exploring a league of ambitious new engineering marvels. Uncover the extraordinary challenges and ingenious strategies behind these colossal structures.

CGTN's award-winning Tech It Out studio embraces the popular short video format to innovate a brand-new style of engineering documentary and present "Architecture Intelligence," a nine-episode series.

With our host Yang Zhao, we travel around the world and go beyond just witnessing mega-structures; we delve into the soul of each place we visit. We place architecture within the context of human lives, allowing it to serve as a lens through which we gain insights into a city, a nation and its culture.

In this series, architecture is more than just buildings; it becomes a response to the questions posed by urban development, national identity and the challenges of our times. For instance, how should Dubai use its infrastructure to safeguard its oldest neighborhoods and cultural heritage? How can a stadium be a catalyst for Cambodia's return to the global stage? And in an era of global warming, what defines truly "green" architecture?

In this series, we visit Dubai, Phnom Penh, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Chengdu, Chongqing and Shenzhen. Along the way, Yang Zhao witnesses a league of ambitious new engineering wonders and discovers the extraordinary challenges and intelligence that shape these giants.

In Dubai, the common challenge of balancing infrastructure improvements with preserving the appearance and livelihoods of residents in old cities during urbanization is explored. The Shindagha Bridge in Dubai's downtown area provides an innovative solution by utilizing cutting-edge technologies to complete its construction mid-air.

Hong Kong showcases how fast a modern hospital can be built through innovative construction methods that have revolutionized speed. The North Lantau Hospital in Hong Kong was constructed in just four months using Modular Integrated Construction technology and provides about 800 isolation beds. Witnessing bathrooms moving around and stairs flying overhead on its special assembly lines feels like stepping into a real-life version of Hogwarts.

While visiting Dubai and Hong Kong, Yang Zhao marvels at architectural wonders like Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, and Hong Kong's newest landmark, 2 Murray Road in the city's Central district. In cities renowned for their skyscrapers, glass encases buildings that continue to evolve and shape our future buildings.

Next on his journey is Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This country has endured war and now yearns for stability and development. With its booming economy in recent years, significant investments have been made in infrastructure construction. Hosting this year's Southeast Asian Games garnered global attention for Cambodia. The Cambodia National Stadium served as the main stadium for the event and beautifully incorporates traditional Cambodian architectural elements while presenting formidable engineering challenges.

The Phnom Penh International Airport also serves as Cambodia's new gateway to showcase its progress toward becoming a middle-income country and leaving poverty behind.

In Kuala Lumpur, Yang Zhao witnesses how quickly architects can construct skyscrapers. In a city already adorned with the renowned Petronas Towers, a new world record for a super-tall building was achieved by completing a 452-meter-high tower in just 31 months.

Finally returning to China, Yang Zhao explores Shenzhen, Chongqing and Chengdu, where innovative architectural technologies have been employed to overcome various building challenges.

The Shenzhen Huiyun Center is a skyscraper built nearly above the Shenzhen Metro lines without interfering with the daily lives of thousands of commuters.

Chongqing has constructed China's longest-spanning dual-purpose suspension bridge over the mighty Yangtze river.

Chengdu builds its first nearly zero-energy office building, with less than one-third of a typical building's energy consumption and 18 percent renewable energy usage.

Throughout this entire series, viewers can perceive the charm of architecture while witnessing how human intelligence has shaped our world and will continue to reshape our future.