anhui art museum glows behind ethereal facade in hefei, china

Inspiration from Chinese Landscape Art

Located on the Binhu District’s main axis near Chaohu Lake in Hefei, China, the newly completed Anhui Art Museum, designed by the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design (BIAD) and Wang Ge Studio, is a contemporary, audience-centered project. This expansive gallery integrates exhibition spaces, research areas, and conference facilities, serving as a cultural hub, all behind an ethereal facade.

Drawing on the concept of ‘Shanshui,’ or landscape painting, the museum is designed to reflect the natural beauty and traditional aesthetics of Chinese art. This approach is inspired by Anhui’s iconic mountains and the region’s distinctive black-tiled, white-walled Huizhou architecture. Through architectural forms and details, the museum’s structure evokes a continuous landscape scroll, a nod to Chinese literati culture that values both natural beauty and contemplative depth.

images © Arch-Exist

symbolic positioning within hefei

The main structure of the Anhui Art Museum is a 100-meter cube, positioned along Hefei’s Binhu Avenue, with a visual connection to the nearby Science and Technology Museum. The collaborative teams at BIAD and Wang Ge Studio plan this east-west alignment to symbolize the dialogue between art and science. The main building is complemented by two smaller volumes on the east side, which harmonize with the irregular site layout and serve as a transition from the nearby Celebrity Hall.

The layout combines one large central volume with two smaller ones, along with a semi-underground parking area and strategically placed courtyards. These varied spaces interpret the traditional Chinese garden aesthetic in a modern context, offering visitors a landscape that integrates indoor and outdoor environments.

Anhui Art Museum in Hefei is a new cultural landmark by Chaohu Lake

Anhui Art Museum’s Public Gateway to Art

The museum’s design organizes its functions into three primary zones: the Business and Technical Zone, the Exhibition Zone, and the Art MALL. The Business and Technical Zone houses administrative offices for cultural relics conservation and artistic development. The Exhibition Zone features a 27-meter-high atrium facing Chaohu Lake, connecting the exhibition halls with ramps and a 70-meter column-free bridge, allowing visitors to explore the exhibitions fluidly. A rooftop garden offers panoramic views of the lake, marking the culmination of the exhibition journey.

The Art MALL, accessible from an outdoor courtyard on the basement level, serves as a dynamic space open to the public for daily activities. This area includes a café, bookstore, art store, and an auditorium, in addition to flexible spaces for auctions and community events. By extending the museum’s reach beyond exhibitions, the Art MALL integrates art into daily life, fostering a connection between the community and the arts.

the museum design is inspired by Chinese Shanshui landscape painting

The building’s facade features a monochromatic palette of black, white, and gray, echoing Anhui’s traditional aesthetics and the subtle elegance of ink wash painting. Black eaves, white grilles, and soft gray shadows give the museum a sense of timelessness, resembling Huizhou’s residential architecture. The grilles create a semi-transparent effect, enhancing natural ventilation while casting intricate shadows that shift with changing light, further emphasizing the design’s dynamic quality.

The aluminum alloy grilles act as a veil, softening light and harmonizing the museum’s interior and exterior environments. This layered design adds visual depth, creating an evolving play of light and shadow that transforms as visitors move through the space, merging industrial precision with handcrafted warmth.

The building’s rooftop design incorporates skylights, activity spaces, and equipment rooms, forming a distinctive ‘fifth facade.’ Inspired by mountain peaks, the rooftop silhouette reflects the Shanshui aesthetic, extending the landscape-inspired theme upwards to offer an artistic interpretation of Anhui’s natural scenery.

the main structure is a 100-meter cube symbolizing a dialogue between art and science