steven holl: nanjing museum nears completion

steven holl: nanjing museum nears completion image courtesy of iwan baan

almost nearing completion is the nanjing museum of art and architecture by steven holl architects is situated at the gateway to the contemporary international practical exhibition of architecture in the green landscape of pearl spring near nanjing, china. the museum explores the shifting viewpoints, layers of space, expanses of mist and water, which characterize the compositional spatial mysteries of chinese painting. the museum is formed by a field of parallel perspective of spaces and garden walls in black rammed earth over which a light ‘figure’ hovers. straight passages on the ground move into the winding passage of the structure above. the upper gallery is suspended in the air, unwrapping into a clockwise turning sequence and provides a view of the city of nanjing in the distance.

an upcoming exhibition entitled urbanisms: steven holl + li hu – 4 projects in china by steven holl will track the process of nanjing museum of art and architecture, along with beijing linked hybrid, shenzen horizontal skyscraper and chengdu sliced porosity block, three other major projects completed by holl in china, constructed between 2003-2009. these projects will be on view in holl’s newly finished vanke headquarter offices in the horizontal skyscraper/vanke center in dameisha, shenzen. the opening will be held on monday, december 7 @ 6:30pm.

construction phase image courtesy of iwan baan

stairway leading up to the gallery image courtesy of iwan baan

image courtesy of steven holl architects

stairway leading up to the gallery image courtesy of iwan baan

image courtesy of iwan baan

model

model

aerial view – model

sliced profile of the interior

upper gallery provides a view of the city of nanjing in the distance

gallery space

gallery space

gallery space

water color sketch