China 's skylines could look a lot more uniform in the years to come , if a statement by a Beijing official is to believed . The backlash against `` weird buildings '' escalated earlier this week when the capital 's vice mayor , Chen Gang , announced that the city would be taking a greater role in influencing its structures ' aesthetics . The city plans to implement `` building ordinances to govern the city 's building size , style , color and materials , '' Chinese state media reported . China 's cities , with their huge growth and increasingly bold architectural choices , have been a boon to the architecture industry over the past decade or so , with eye-catching structures popping up across the country . However , following Chinese President Xi Jinping 's remarks , which call for an end of `` weird architecture , '' to a symposium in October , it seems as though there might be a politically-motivated directive at hand . The comments were widely reported in Chinese media . Chen 's announcement is ostensibly to allow urban planning a greater hand in creating public spaces and `` a better cityscape '' for residents . When contacted by CNN , the municipal government declined to comment further . `` Like a pendulum '' Some are not concerned . Pritzker-prize laureate Rem Koolhaas , whose landmark CCTV building in the capital is often used as an illustration in media reports of so-called `` weird architecture '' told CNN that there have been previous , similar edicts . `` There have been periods ( in China ) where ordinances existed , there were mayors who insisted ( to put ) Chinese roofs on modern buildings but it 's like a pendulum , '' he said while attending a design conference in Hong Kong . He says he 's holding off making judgment until the updated ordinances were expanded upon . `` I 'd like to see ( the rules when they are announced ) . There was a rule that buildings had to be grey , and the CCTV building is grey , and I do n't think it is diminished because of that . '' Koolhaas is quick to clarify that the `` weird buildings '' remarks were not directly aimed at his flagship China project . `` The media has made that connection . No more weird buildings , it 's understandable if you look around and I do n't feel that CCTV is a weird building so that 's my comment . '' Stifling creativity . Hong Kong-based architect William To , project director at the Hong Kong Design Centre , however , decried Chinese attempts to rein in creativity . `` Would n't ( the ordinances ) make everything pretty much the same ? Then they 're not giving the young creative industries a chance to come up with new ideas or innovation . '' To said that the proposed rulings would stifle what has been a playground for architects . `` That 's setting parameters on creativity and this will limit or kill a lot of great ideas . From creativity there should n't be boundaries . For new ideas and new projects to take shape , thinking out of the box is essential . By putting parameters you 're limiting ( architects ) to remain in the box . Cheng Taining , from the Chinese Academy of Engineering , says that China 's unorthodox skylines are the result of a `` judgment imbalance , '' according to the China Daily . `` These weird buildings are too alienated from basic architectural norms and ... have become super-sized art installations that jump on the desire and vanity bandwagon , '' he told the paper .
Beijing authorities announce plans to place restrictions on new building designs , materials . Comment: `` weird buildings '' Architecture in Chinese cities has become increasingly bold and outlandish . Experts are divided on the potential impact of the planned building ordinances .