Rendering of a pavilion designed by MAD. (Photos provided to China Daily)

Visitors to Haikou, Hainan province in March and onward will be greeted by 16 "Pavilions by the Seaside", a permanent large-scale public art project to be completed over the year, lighting up the coastlines of Haikou Bay and Jiangdong New Area.

The pavilions, which have been commissioned by the Haikou Tourism and Culture Investment Holding Group for internationally acclaimed artists and designers, is expected to bring diverse culture and vitality to the island's northern shore.

Rendering of a pavilion designed by Sou Fujimoto.

Participants include Kengo Kuma, Patrik Schumacher, Anish Kapoor, Liu Jiakun and Ryūichi Sakamoto, among other noted names in the field.

According to Wen Ling, the project's lead curator, the pavilions will not only be new landmarks to glorify Haikou's urban culture but will also renew people's affection for public art. Each pavilion will be a destination of cultural activities to blend leisure, entertainment and education. She said the project invites people to consider how to utilize limited resources in a sustainable, creative way.

Rendering of a pavilion designed by Sou Fujimoto.

Rendering of a pavilion designed by MAD.

Rendering of a pavilion designed by Sou Fujimoto.

Rendering of a pavilion designed by MAD.