Changsha, China

HUNAN PROVINCIAL MUSEUM

INTERNATIONAL SHORT-LISTED COMPETITION FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND EXPANSION OF HUNAN PROVINCIAL MUSEUM

n!studio Susanna Ferrini Antonello Stella

view of the museum from the city of changsha

The project for the Reconstruction and Expansion of Hunan Provincial Museum represents the unique opportunity to create an outstanding contemporary museum with a prominent role in the Chinese and International scene.

view of the museum from the martyr's park

The insertion of the new building between the urban fabric of the city and the city’s largest comprehensive park makes Hunan Provincial Museum Museums a symbol and an icon of the city and the province itself, a landmark and fundamental component of Hunan culture as well as an important window through which to interpret the history and culture of Hunan.

aerial view

The project area has no borders to separate it from its surroundings, the museum presents itself as an open complex that welcomes peoples inside its public areas with gardens, ponds and temporary open-air exhibition and events. The museum area becomes a direct extension of city life. It plays the role of urban junction between the city and the park, and the building itself becomes at the same time an urban landmark and a new gate to the Martyrs’ Park.

site plan

The new building thus grows around the existing museum like a fortress grows around its treasure. A square ring-shape construction that entirely surrounds the exhibition building completed in 1999, which was inspired by the architectural features of terraced structures of Chu-state culture and made large use of architectural language to interpret Hunan Culture. The new museum building grows with a geometrical and regular shape juxtaposed to the irregular hilly image of the landscape thus emphasizing the relationship between natural and artificial, between architecture and landscape.

aerial night view

New perspectives of the existing buildings surprisingly open up to the visitor. From Dongfeng Road the existing building appears framed between the hilly landscape and the suspended corner of the new museum whereas from the Martyr’s Park it becomes the background of the entrance promenade.

night view from the martyr's park

The relationship between new and “old” is based on the concept of “the right distance”. Though extremely respectful of the existing building, the Extension of Hunan Provincial Museum presents itself as a new symbol for the city of Changsha and the Hunan Province. The new museum grows around the existing one and through a series of green terraces provides visitors with unexpected points of view both towards the building and the park. It emerges from its site in a smooth, continuous gesture that connects people to the natural atmosphere of Nianjia Lake, Liuyang River and the Martyr’s park. The inner side of the new building facing the existing one is mostly covered with glass facades that enrich visual relationship and, at night, enlighten the existing building like an ancient lantern.

interior view of the entrance hall

The facade of the new museum opens and closes up according both to the surroundings and the interior functional requirements. It is consequently more close and protective towards the city and more open towards the park, more closed in exhibition and conservation areas and more open in public areas.

interior view of the temporary exhibition

The new skin of the building is inspired by the ancient vest that was unearthed among the treasures of Mawangdui Han Tomb. The new façade of the museum symbolize the new vest of the building and the red steel panels are accurately positioned to mark the point of contact between the vest and the body. The perforated texture of these panels represents the wearing effect of time upon the vest.

facade concept

The inner side of the building is totally covered with opalescent glass panels, better known as U-Glass. This solution allows natural light to filter inside the museum spaces during the day and illuminate the existing building at night. Natural light is widely employed in the public areas and temporary exhibition areas. The intensity of natural light is properly regulated by automatic shading panels that move according to the conditions of solar radiations and the requirements of interior spaces. Extra clear glass panels will be carefully located to provide unexpected views on the existing building and, at upper floors, charming views on the surrounding landscape.

model

Europaconcorsi Beta

HUNAN PROVINCIAL MUSEUM