Kongming LanternsShenzhen Natural History Museum

To expand the civic and curatorial goals of Shenzhen Natural History Museum, we see its future home as a bridge that connects two aspects of nature - the natural landscape represented by the collection and its abundance in the surrounding natural resources reflect. In integrating the museum with the city, river and mountains, the project follows a series of deceptively simple generative design operations. The project translates the architectural question of the "museum" into an interactive experience that literally and metaphorically reflects the surrounding city and landscape. At night, the exhibition towers become lanterns, illuminating the contributions of scientific discovery and the wonders of our natural world. Weaving individual and collective, monumental and intimate, past and future, this three-dimensional architectural landscape reimagines the museum as a unique icon for the 21st century.


Inspired by the context, our proposal starts with a line that we bend gently in the process of considering the city and the landscape, taking into account the planned urban structure and the curvature of the Pingshan River. Like confident Chinese brushstrokes, bold gestures blend in with their surroundings. The resulting concave roofline echoes the topography of the Yanzi Lake valley itself and completes the proposed master plan and views of the lake.


The massive cantilever rests on seven sculptural towers arranged in opposing rhythms like an archipelago. Corresponding to one of seven permanent exhibitions (including "Shenzhen Nature"), each tower is conceived as a "pillar of knowledge", expressing its respective curatorial theme on a colossal scale through iconic forms. Inspired by Gong scholars - the rocks are arranged in the traditional Jianshan rockery, the towers have a certain scale and form that inspire contemplation on the theme of nature, linking the micro, macro and free associations.