kengo kuma's folk museum for the china academy of art opens in hangzhou

kengo kuma’s folk museum for the china academy of art opens in hangzhou
image © eiichi kono
all images courtesy of kengo kuma and associates

a folk art museum, designed by renowned japanese architect kengo kuma, has opened in the chinese city of hangzhou. the institution, which was completed for the china academy of art, is committed to conserving, revitalizing and regenerating the country’s arts and crafts, playing a central role in the field of education. the building’s form relates to the region’s geological terrain, and seeks not to intrude on the surrounding green environment. in an attempt to merge the structure with the landscape, the design is topped with discarded roof tiles, giving the museum the appearance of a small local village. the tiles are also used across the structure’s façades, held in place with stainless steel wire. these elevations help control external views, creating a dramatic internal play of light and shadow.

see designboom’s previous coverage of the project here.

an aerial view of the museum complex
image © eiichi kono

a dramatic internal play of light and shadow is established
image © eiichi kono

the institution is committed to conserving, revitalizing and regenerating china’s arts and crafts

pale timbers are employed to offset the more common use of steel and glass
image © eiichi kono

the folk museum seeks to play a central role in the field of art education

circulation space within the gallery

tiles are used across the structure’s façades, held in place with stainless steel wire

these translucent elevations help control external views

the building’s form relates to the terrain of the region

project info:

name: china academy of art’s folk art museum
location: hangzhou, china
completed: september, 2015
program: museum, conference hall
area: 4,970 sqm