Design Theme: Cultural Display
Design Year: 2015 (Meng Jianmin Studio)
Architectural Materials: Concrete, Aluminum Panels, Glass Curtain Wall
Building Area: 102,000 m²
Project Location: Beijing
Project Involvement: As an intern, I focused on creating floor plans, analytical diagrams, and textual materials. I participated in concept brainstorming sessions and produced renderings inspired by ancient paintings like “Along the River During the Qingming Festival.” My work enriched the team’s ability to express the design proposal effectively.
“Western architecture is like an oil painting, while Chinese architecture resembles a scroll painting.”
— Liang Sicheng
As a historical and cultural residence, the Palace Museum cannot meet many exhibition space regulations. To allow more treasured artifacts to be viewed by visitors, the project for the North Campus of the Palace Museum was initiated.
Adjacent to the Grand Canal Cultural Belt, the North Campus of the Palace Museum is located in the northern part of Xiyuhua Village, Beiwang Town, Haidian District. This area is situated in the favorable geographic position of the northwest of the capital. The name “Yuhe” is related to the Upper Yuan of the Wenyu River within the Grand Canal Cultural Belt. The Palace Museum, the Summer Palace, the Old Summer Palace, and the North Campus of the Palace Museum share a rich historical and cultural connection.
Chinese traditional culture emphasizes the philosophical concept of “unity between heaven and humanity.” The North Campus of the Palace Museum adopts a feng shui layout characterized by the interplay of emptiness and fullness, as well as the balance of yin and yang, creating a cultural park where architecture and nature coexist harmoniously.
The intrinsic connection between traditional Chinese architecture and Chinese painting art runs deep, inspiring us to reflect on the essence of Chinese traditional culture and to render the North Campus of the Palace Museum as a magnificent scroll of time and space.
The design inspiration for the building’s façade comes from the unique texture of the Palace Museum’s “grid screen with openwork,” combined with modern technology. It showcases the Eastern charm of the Palace Museum through a flowing longitudinal visual composition.
The Palace Museum is not only the most magnificent palace complex in the world but also the most exquisite and grand city. We extend the architectural ethos of the Palace Museum, allowing the building to spread across the land, just as traditional Chinese scroll paintings interweave architecture and gardens, unfolding gradually to create a city where scenes change as one moves through it.
