SHANGHAI museum EAST HALL competition
sHANGHAI, china
Our design for the Shanghai Museum East Hall rejects the typical isolated object-building in favor of a new model which blends culture and commerce to create a new “field” of urban activity. Inspired by traditional Chinese oracle bone inscriptions, the museum program is contained within an intricate volume floating above a planted urban plinth.
The commercial plinth is designed as a landscaped mass incorporating deep voids that divide the site into multiple spatial zones. A winding public street running north/south through this mass will bring visitors from ground level to a sunken public space beneath the floating Shanghai Museum East pavilion, forming an active gathering space and a new civic space for the city.
The elevated volume allows the museum to enjoy outstanding views its surroundings, including the north side of Century Avenue and many local landmarks. The gallery program is arranged into three independent exhibition loops, which create unique exhibition spaces and varied cultural experiencess. Project in collaboration with Link Arc