BEIJING ART
MUSEUM, PROJET: SNØHETTA
Snøhetta,
in collaboration with Beijing Institute of Architectural Design (BIAD), has won
the competition to design the Beijing Art Museum in Tongzhou District. This
landmark project will mark Snøhetta’s second major cultural institution in the
Chinese capital, following the internationally acclaimed Beijing Library, which
opened in 2023. Spanning over 110,000
square meters, the new art museum will showcase a diverse range of art forms -
from fine arts and intangible cultural heritage to fashion design and
contemporary art. By bridging historical traditions and modern creativity, the
art museum is poised to become a new beacon for Beijing’s thriving art and
cultural scene. Beyond its role as a cultural hub, the art museum will also
serve as a civic gathering place for the local community and a catalyst for the
new urban development in the area.
The
design proposal adopts the concept of “vision,” manifesting the dual ambition
of the museum: to collect and gather, and to exhibit and reveal. It is
envisioned not merely as a custodian and connoisseur of culture and knowledge,
but as a catalyst that elevates the act of viewing into an aesthetic
experience—transforming observation into art. This concept orchestrates a
multidimensional dialogue, bridging the abstract and the tangible: connecting
artists with audiences, history with the future, architecture with landscape,
individuals with communities, and cities with the world. Positioned
above a metro line, the museum doubles as a transportation hub, linking
visitors to the art world. Its sculptural massing radiates outwards from a
central core, while lens-like, rippled facades dissolve boundaries between
building and landscape, stablishing a dynamic public realm that engages the
local community.
At
the heart of the museum lies a kaleidoscopic atrium that acts as a
gravitational pull, drawing various program elements inward. Galleries, storage, and support functions spiral
around the atrium, extending into petal-like volumes that offer panoramic views
of the surrounding context, juxtaposing the experience of looking out with a
sense of being seen. The landscape design, conceived as an organic extension of
the building’s radiating architectural language, unfolds into generous civic
realms that invite sculptures, dialogues and outdoor engagement. It is not
merely an adjunct but a spatial continuum—where architecture, landscape, and
interior coalesce into a unified cultural tapestry.
The
Beijing Art Museum integrates sustainability at its core, featuring
photovoltaic panels on the roof and a resilient landscape design that
incorporates water management strategies aligned with sponge city
principles—creating a harmonious balance between architecture and ecology. The
Beijing Art Museum broke ground on December 31, 2025 and is estimated to open
in 2029.
Client: Beijing Fine Art Academy; Construction Management: Beijing Investment Group Co.,Ltd.; Concept and Schematic Design: Snøhetta, BIAD; Construction Design: BIAD; Concept and Schematic Design: Snøhetta, BIAD; Construction Design: BIAD; Images: Proloog, Snøhetta
