penda carves arched forms into hongkun art gallery beijing

penda carves arched forms into hongkun art gallery in beijing
images © xia zhi
all images courtesy of penda

beijing-based studio penda has carved the façade and interior of ‘hongkung art gallery/art arcadion’ into a series of swooping, arched forms. the 2000 sqm space is located on the southern 3rd ring road in beijing, where an opening in the monolithic entrance draws people in from the outside. successfully adhering to a tight time-frame, the project only took 38 days from the first sketch to its opening for the public. the design features a combination of rounded walls, becoming a continuous curved element that guides visitors through the exhibition areas. the exterior’s solid white block expression merges with the volumes within, presenting a clean white space for displaying the artworks. multiple walls varying in size and orientation not only create a fluid language, but also offer a sculptural interpretation of the landscape paintings presented. 

the interior of the art gallery is defined using swooping, arched forms

a cave-like entrance contains the reception desk, coatroom, and main circulation staircase – from here visitors may journey down to a special exhibition hall located in the basement, or employees to an office area on a mezzanine level above. through its sculptural articulation, the gallery becomes a focal point for the area with large open rooms offering a wide space for themed exhibitions.

multiple walls vary in size and orientation to create a fluid language throughout

the rounded entrance lobby draws people in, guiding them naturally through the building

open areas offer a wide space for themed exhibitions

a cave-like entrance contains the reception desk, coatroom, and main circulation staircase

a clean white space is offered for displaying artworks

the walls offer a sculptural interpretation of the landscape paintings presented

project info:

project: hongkun art gallery
architects: penda
project location: beijing, china
project area: 2000sqm on 2 floors
project started: end of october 2013
gallery opened: beginning of december 2013
photoraphs: xia zhi

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