The Beijing Institute of Architectural Design has won an international competition with its vision for a new regional gateway for culture and commerce in Ryde, Australia.

The Design Our Ryde contest has been an eight-month search for ideas to revamp the city’s Civic Hub Precinct – located on a prominent ridgeline outside of Sydney, with views of the surrounding Blue Mountains.

The hub is the current location of the local government’s headquarters, which could be relocated soon, and city planners want to add a new venue that better connects the site with the rest of Ryde.

Judges assessed submissions from 175 studios from 47 countries. A final shortlist was compiled in May, and the team from China was announced as the final winner on 8 August.

The successful design imagines a singular, green-roofed form which would house an outdoor theatre, cafe, upgraded library and Funland play area for children. Sustainable features such as natural ventilation, rainwater collection and extensive landscaping would all be included.

In their summary, the judges praised the design as “a realistic and well considered concept that demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the urban context,” adding that it “represents an opportunity for positive change and enhances and nourishes the notion of the garden suburb and has a character that is uniquely Ryde.”

The Beijing Institute of Architectural Design has won a AUS$150,000 first prize. It’s scheme will now be considered for feasibility and used as a starting point in discussions over the site’s future.