Some of the most exciting architecture in the world comes out of Asia. But futuristic buildings with cutting-edge designs may be a thing of the past in China.

A statement from China’s State Council last Sunday established new guidelines on urban planning that would forbid the construction of “bizarre” and “odd-shaped” buildings, according to CNN. The rules are particularly aimed at buildings that are said to lack character or cultural heritage.

The guidelines say that new buildings should be “economic, green and beautiful.”

China’s building boom over the past several decades has birthed some truly eye-catching buildings, such as the CCTV headquarters by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture, co-founded by Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas.

The document went on to say that “bizarre architecture” that isn’t “economical, functional, aesthetically pleasing or environmentally friendly” would be banned. However, this isn’t all about aesthetics. Some feel that buildings in China are designed primarily to be standouts without enough attention given to function.

“I don’t feel shocked by this news,” architect Hao Dong, founder of Beijing-based architecture firm Crossboundaries, told CNN. “The guidelines pretty much point to a positive direction, particularly in China, where there are so many buildings completed to stand out, without considering their function.” [CNN] –Christopher Cameron

Source: China bans “weird” buildings