In September 2018, the Shuangshan Island Lighthouse Homestay International Design Competition was officially launched. The Zhangjiagang Shuangshan Island Tourism Resort Management Committee, in collaboration with Xiangban Cultural Tourism Group, invited global design agencies to submit design proposals for the lighthouse homestay. The design site for this project is located in the planned “Pearl Lighthouse Area” of Shuangshan Island’s Slow Village, with a total area of approximately 6,000 square meters.

The design competition review conference was jointly organized by Xiangban Cultural Tourism Group and the internationally renowned design firm MSP Marsha Schwarts and its partners. Professors and teams from prestigious universities such as Columbia University, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Tongji University College of Architecture and Urban Planning, and Nanjing University School of Architecture and Urban Planning were invited to participate. The competition adopted a professional jury evaluation combined with public voting. SoBA stood out from the 33 outstanding entries received worldwide that met the requirements and won the first prize in the competition.