christian kerez

three Museums And One Square . Guangzhou

Situated at the South end of the Guangzhou New Urban Axis, the project is going to become an important tourist and sightseeing zone together with Canton Tower, the recent city landmark in Guangzhou.

The site area is bounded by Yue Jian West Road to the North, Xin Gang Middle Road to the South, Yi Jing Road to the West, and Yi Yuan EastRoad and Chi Gang NorthRoad to the East. The planning covers a total land area of 55.5 ha.The plot is composed of Lingnan Square(Park), Guangzhou Museum, Guangzhou Art Museum and Guangzhou Science Museum, which will be developed into a core cultural district in Guangzhou. After completion of the project, cultural soft power and international competitiveness of Guangzhou city will be dramatically enhanced.
Lignan Square is a landscape park separated from the surrounding city by a massive wall of trees. The open field of this green oasis links the whole area with Canton Tower, one of the most iconic buildings of Guangzhou. A meandering walkway and a river connect the landmark buildings on both sides of this open field. The new continuation of Guangzhou main axis is closely related to lignan culture where architecture and landscape become inseparable. This close relationship between architecture and nature is carried to the new scale of Guangzhou. The buildings with their organic and sculptural appearance resemble mountains in an open rice field as it is shown in so many Chinese paintings.
The form of Guangzhou Art Museum is inspired by Taihu stones, which has been scholars’ favorite since Tang and Song Dynasties. Taihu stone is a combination of ‘time, art and space’. Like in those rare stones, inside and outside, object and void, architecture and space become a inseparable complex unit.
This space resembles caverns inside a mountain which are told in so many legends true secret place of art treasure.
Looking at a river with trees, grassfields and rocks, you might think to be in an open landscape. While you find yourself in the heart of the art museum of Guangzhou, setting a new landmark worldwide. This public space will bring together nature, architecture, landscape and people to expand Lignan culture to the new scale of Guangzhou.