A competition entry by the architects von Gerkan, Marg and Partners (gmp) has been awarded first prize for the new Guangzhou City Museum. The commission was announced at the same time as Nieto Sobejano Arquitectos’ selection for the Guangzhou Science Museum, both of which will join the city’s new Art Museum by Thomas Herzog Architects to form the central cultural precinct of Guangzhou – China‘s third largest city.
Referencing the historic Chigang Pagoda, which lies north of the site towards the Pearl River, the museum gradually rises towards the south, staring from a low-lying height of 18 and ascending up to 40 meters. This allows the formation of a public roof terrace that faces the Pagoda and provides views of the skyline, as well as a grand interior hall flanked with terraced walkways.
“The building,” says the architects, “is characterized by the interaction between linear glazed openings for the entrance area, various commercial functions and restaurants/cafeterias, and opaque parts of the building for the exhibition areas. The calm, horizontal volume defines the south-western boundary of Lingnan Square, which has been designed as a stage for public life in the city.”
- Architects: gmp Architekten
- Location: Yi Zhou Lu, Haizhu Qu, Guangzhou Shi, Guangdong Sheng, China
- Project Manager (Competition): Tobias Keyl
- Design: Meinhard von Gerkan, Stephan Schütz, Stephan Rewolle
- Design Team: Li Zheng, Jing Chen, Yang Li, Dimitri Philippe, Sebastian Linnack, Jing Zhao, Mulyanto, Tianshuo Zhang, Dinah Borjans
- Client: Administration of Culture, Press, Publication, Radio and Television of Guangzhou Municipalities
- Area: 81807.0 sqm
- Photographs: gmp Architekten
