UK headquartered architect Perkins + Will has designed the Suzhou Science & Technology Museum, the potential centerpiece of a new cultural district in Shishan Park, 100km northwest of Shanghai.
The design of the 55,700 sq m is inspired by the Chinese expression of "shan sui", which roughly translates as "the union of mountain and lake".
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The museum will be located at the foot of Lion Mountain and next to Shishan Lake and will twist upward before turning back on itself, creating a loop.
The lake itself will include several man-made, teardrop-shaped "eco islands" connected by walkway to the museum.
The museum itself will include a 6,200 sq m industrial exhibition hall, a three-storey atrium, a sunken water-filled courtyard and a "Lion Mountain Terrace" on the third floor.
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The project will also contain sustainable features such as a "Life-Giving Forest" providing an air filtration buffer to the city and respite from the sun and a 3D metal-mesh skin that transitions from opaque to transparent to control daylight and protect exhibits.
Ralph Johnson, Perkins + Will’s global design director, said: "Our design recognises the importance of Suzhou in China’s commercial history, and underscores its role at the forefront of China’s emergence as a technology leader and innovator. The museum also draws inspiration from the natural environment surrounding it."
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It is unclear when construction on the project will begin.
Perkins + Will has previously designed the Shanghai Natural History Museum which opened in 2015.
Images courtesy of Perkins+Will