lllab. & l+cc envision new cultural cluster merging with mountainous landscape in china

architecture firms lllab. and l+cc unveil their proposal for the construction of the antuo hill museum in shenzhen, china. dubbed ‘cultural quarries’, the project highlights the history of the site, which had been home to a large-scale blasting project starting in 1997, with about half of the hill being excavated in order to provide stone for urban reclamation. meanwhile, it draws reference from natural elements —specifically a local quarry— to generate a cluster that will restore the damaged ecology and bring together more than ten national and provincial institutions, forming a new cultural centerpiece for the greater region.

all images courtesy of lllab. 

in the ‘cultural quarries’ proposal, lllab. and l+cc adopt a more delicate approach, drawing lessons from local nature in order to find a resonance in design. in between the high-density urban development and the mountainous landscape, the new complex emerges as a small city, allowing new connections between architecture and people to be established. ‘just like art itself, it creates an unknown but tangible spatial framework in the continuous process of pursuing borderless and innovative breakthroughs,’ the studio shares. here, artists can explore and present their creative ideas, while citizens can approach and comprehend their works, all within an environment that is intimately tied to nature and history.

the functional frame shaped by the combination of architecture and landscape can flexibly respond to the ever-changing needs and interpretations of the future. from the exhibition area to the urban space, from an independent building to an artistic landscape city, it continues its vitality, as nature is endless. drawing inspiration from both the wild and controlled qualities of the antuo hill quarry, the lllab. team proposes a boundless framework for supporting artistic exchange across a large cultural complex.

natural boundary

project info:

project name: antuo hill museums
architects: lllab.
landscape architect: l+cc
project team: matt eshleman, fei chen, yang lu, lingkong yin, yihui zhao, ziyu wei, lingling liu, yujun yan, luis ricardo, hanxiao liu
location: shenzhen, china
total project area: 102,697 sqm
construction area: 167,400 sqm

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: myrto katsikopoulou | designboom