The scheme that has won the international competition for the Zhuhai Cultural Arts Center involves a sensitive handling of centuries-old Yinkeng Village, which belongs to the city of Zhuhai, in China’s Guangdong province. Choosing not to demolish the remains of its architectural heritage, Ma Yansong’s firm MAD Architects protects the ruins and with a ‘floating’ dome almost 45 meters at the peak, its translucent membrane covering the historical urban fabric that still lies on the Pearl River Delta. The structure is open at the base and harnesses renewable energy sources. The village’s topography and original street layout are adapted to the requirements of the cultural center with scattered small-scale buildings forming functional blocks. The project thus establishes a dialogue between old and new, and makes the cultural center a symbol of renewal and preservation.