Sited in the city of Zhuhai, China, this museum by Ábalos + Sentkiewicz Arquitectos seeks to combine the opposing ideas of a festive, airy aesthetic with the need for a protected and enclosed space to showcase artwork. To that end, they have created a structure that resembles a landscape with sculptural tree-like forms emerging from publicly accessible courtyards. These “trees”, while an important aspect of the building’s visual identity, also play a major role in the climate control of the museum.
The hollow branches and trunk of the tree collect the rainwater and direct it to underground storage tanks, later using the water to power the museum’s courtyard fountains during the summertime. During the day, the canopies stretched across the tree branches also provide shade to the courtyards, and absorb heat to lower the pressure above the building and prompt an updraft. In the evening they direct breezes downward into the building, cooling its thermal mass, and at night they collect the dew that precipitates in order to providing evaporative cooling during the day.
A completion date has not yet been announced as the project is currently still in development.
Architects
Location
Zhuhai, Guangdong, ChinaArchitects in Charge
Iñaki Ábalos, Renata SentkiewiczLocal Architects
Atelier L+ (Linxue Li)Design Team (Ábalos+Sentkiewicz arquitectos)
Timothy Brennan, Chenchen Hu, Weilun Tsui (Cambridge), María Auxiliadora Gálvez, Juan Enríquez, Ana Fernández, Elena Vallejo, Alvaro Maján, Marina Bicca (Madrid)Design Team (Atelier L+)
Yin Hongde, Li Huanhuan, Ni Runer, Liu Jieling, WangyiqingEnergy and Sustainability
Bing Wang/ Salmaan CraigStructure
Hanif KaraSchematic Design Consultants
TJADArea
24992.0 sqmPhotographs
ABALOS+SENTKIEWICZ arquitectosLocation
Zhuhai, Guangdong, ChinaPhotographs
ABALOS+SENTKIEWICZ arquitectosArea
24992.0 m2
