'nanjing museum of art and architecture' steven holl, nanjing, china
image courtesy of steven holl


nanjing china's newest cultural facility, the 'nanjing museum of art and architecture'
by steven holl architects is now complete. regarded as the gateway to a new cultural
development, the museum explores shifting viewpoints and layers of space reminiscent
of spatial compositions seen in traditional chinese paintings. 



front facade
image courtesy of bryan chang


a single winding passageway is lifted into the air by a two large stilts, unwrapping in
a clockwise turning sequence until it stops to focus on the city in the distance. acting as
a visual axis to the nearby urban and natural environments, the raised and linear volume
creates an intimate gallery space that isolates and controls the attention of the visitor.



back side of structure
image courtesy of bryan chang


a single open stairway provides access to the upper gallery, housed within the off-white
corrugated structure. an encircling bamboo-formed concrete wall limits access and shelters
the structure, rising and falling as it makes its way around the volume.



stairway
image courtesy of steven holl



image courtesy of steven holl



the surrounding wall rises and falls as it encircles the main structure
image courtesy of bryan chang



detail of exterior wall
image courtesy of steven holl



view of overall structure and environmental context
image courtesy of steven holl

see designboom's article of the nanjing museum during it's earlier phases of construction here.