'OCT design museum' by studio pei zhu, shenzhen, china
image © designboom


led by chinese architect zhu pei, designboom received a tour through the construction site for the 'OCT design museum' by
beijing-based practice studio pei zhu while in shenzhen, china. positioned within a cultural, recreation and entertainment development
along the gulf, the spheroidal exterior evokes the imagery of a water droplet captured in time. its unique shape attracts visitors through
the encompassing public plaza. the shell inclines outward from a constrained footprint to form an integrated overhang
while a cantilever extends to encourage circulation below, guiding visitors around the building towards the entrance.

the lustrous metal cladding of the curved facade mirrors surrounding activity while triangulated windows and skylights
mimic the scattered illuminated reflections found on the water's surface. the array of penetrations similarly introduce dappled
streams of daylight within the internal atrium.

see designboom's initial coverage of this project during early design phases here.



plaza construction
image © fang zenning
image courtesy studio pei zhu



plaza construction
image © fang zenning
image courtesy studio pei zhu



plaza construction
image © fang zenning
image courtesy studio pei zhu



plaza leading towards the museum
image © designboom



stepped platforms for seating in plaza
image © designboom



installation of stone pavers
image © designboom



view from adjacent plaza
image © designboom



view through the site's palm trees
image © designboom



museum signage
image © designboom



stairs rise along the angled facade
image © designboom



top of the stairs
image © fang zenning
image courtesy studio pei zhu



mezzanine corridor
image © fang zenning
image courtesy studio pei zhu



overlooking into the double height atrium
image © fang zenning
image courtesy studio pei zhu



double height atrium lined with triangulated skylights and windows
image © fang zenning
image courtesy studio pei zhu



double height atrium
image © fang zenning
image courtesy studio pei zhu



tour passing through upper mezzanine
image © designboom



zhu pei discussing with minsuk cho of korean practice mass studies during tour
image © designboom



zhu pei
portrait © designboom


---
the 2011 SZHK biennale
in shenzhen, china ran from december 8th through december 11th 2011.
the scale of certain projects is such that the architect becomes not only a designer of buildings but also city planner and landscape
architect and the shenzhen & hong kong bi-city biennale of urbanism \ architecture reflects this in its theme:
architecture creates cities - cities create architecture.
the SZHK biennale is the first to focus on urbanism as an ongoing theme to explore issues of the city as an active agent in contemporary culture.
the program included more than 30 exhibitions, symposiums, panel discussions and performances.
terence riley has been appointed chief curator (he is the first international curator for the event).
the hong kong edition will work to complement the shenzhen biennale in an integrative way and is curated by gene king and
anderson lee currently under preparation and due to open in february 2012.
designboom is the principal international media partner of the SZHK biennale.

'shenzhen builds'
designboom was given the opportunity to visit the construction site of the terminal extension, as part of the program 'shenzhen builds'.
the buildings being built in shenzhen today are setting international standards for most of the building types:
the 'shenzhen builds' exhibition, curated by terence riley, focuses on 5 new and upcoming buildings in the city by coop himmelb(l)au / wolf prix,
massimiliano and doriana fuksas, OMA / rem koolhaas, urbanus, and atelier FCJZ / yung ho chang.
on show are models, animations and drawings, including other developmental materials to demonstrate how these projects were conceived.
designboom will cover this exhibition in upcoming articles, please stay tuned for more to come.