Cultural Center in Changzhou, China by gmp

In the four-million-strong Chinese city of Changzhou, located one hundred kilometers west of Shanghai, a cultural center is set to be created according to a project by the German firm von Gerkan, Marg und Partner, which with a total area of 365,000 m² surpasses the Paris Louvre six times over. Under one giant roof, there will be six pavilions with different functions: museum institutions (art, science, and technology), a library, a municipal cultural center, and service facilities. The winning design highlights the local tradition of Changzhou, perceived as a southern Chinese water city. A diagonal line formed by a meandering waterway connects all above-ground functions while also illuminating the basement restaurant areas across a plot of 109,000 m². The facade takes into account local traditions in its color scheme and choice of materials: gray slate creates a mighty external impression, while the bright interior spaces, along with white volumes and a transparent glass facade, present a strong contrast.

“In the six 45-meter high arching pavilions, different functions are located that are optically unified from the outside into a single entity, thus creating a cultural center lying under one common roof. The art galleries on the eastern side and the art museum with the technology museum on the western side together form a public square in the center of Changzhou. Water areas and generous landscaping will offer a high quality of stay and serve as a meeting place.”