In 2008, Beijing pumped millions of dollars into venues and infrastructure for the Summer Olympics, creating some iconic architecture in the process. The “Bird’s Nest” stadium and “Water Cube” aquatics venue remain popular tourist destinations today, but the volleyball venue, rowing center, and BMX tracks are among the structures that were quickly abandoned afterward, resulting in an enormous amount of waste.

Together with the International Olympic Committee, Beijing has set out to make things right by taking a more sustainable approach to hosting the winter games in 2022. As the first city in the world to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics, Beijing will integrate its venues from 2008 and other urban structures into a spectacular new setting for cold weather sports. This complex will host curling, ice hockey, skating, snowboarding, and freestyle skiing, while the nearby towns of Chongli and Yangqing will host alpine skiing, sliding, and all other snow events. Architecture firm Maison h won a competition to design a stunning Winter Olympic Museum in Chongli — the first museum of its kind anywhere in the world. With solar panels mounted to the roof and a self-shading design that protects its interiors from the harsh local climate, it will run entirely on renewable energy.

The coolest part of the museum is definitely a new ski slope that will pass under an existing highway, terminating adjacent to the building itself. It’ll als...