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Suzhou Museum
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2007-10-17 06:31:36
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Chinese architect I.M. Pei with Pei Partnership Architects recently designed the Suzhou Museum in
the city’s historic district 100 miles northwest of Shanghai. The
building adjoins the 19th century Zhong Wang Fu complex and the
UNESCO-listed 16th century Garden of the Administrator.
Architecture and landscape become interrelated as a series of gardens
and courtyards flow in and from the building itself. While a high wall
visually separates the museum’s main garden from the adjacent ancient
garden, a stream of water connected by a footbridge joins the two
properties together. The gardens, however, are not modeled after their
ancient counterpart. Pei yearns to establish a contemporary form of
Chinese landscape design.
The interior space unfolds into a series of spaces made up of varying
heights and geometric shapes. The collection consists of a mix of
ancient and modern art – relics from Ming and Qing dynasties as well as
contemporary exhibitions.
Pei deliberately built a modern structure while capturing the subtle
yet expressive Chinese spirit. The building’s exterior, with its white
walls and gray tiled roof not only respects the traditional
color-scheme used throughout the city of Suzhou, but also provides a
backdrop further emphasizing the importance of the gardens. In
his museum, Pei hopes to foster and inspire a new generation of
thinking about Chinese-specific modern architecture and design. By Andrew J Wierner. (Pics: Kerun Ip)
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WATERWORLD - China
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2006-12-28 08:37:52
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Atkin's Architecture Group recently won the first prize award for an international design
competition with this stunning entry. Set in a spectacular water filled
quarry in Songjiang, China, the 400 bed resort hotel is uniquely
constructed within the natural elements of the quarry. Underwater
public areas and guest rooms add to the uniqueness, but the resort also
boasts cafes, restaurants
and sporting facilities.
The lowest level runs with the aquatic
theme by housing a luxurious swimming pool and an extreme sports center
for activities such as rock climbing and bungee
jumping which will be cantilevered over the quarry and accessed by
special
lifts from the water. With a stunning visual presentation as shown
here, it's no wonder this project took home the first prize. This is a
fine example of an ultra modern facility co-existing amongst its
natural environment. by Andy G
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