Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron has won a competition to design a new museum complex on the river bank of the Grand Canal, an 1800km man-made linear water system connecting China’s north and south. 

Herzog & de Meuron's new museum features a lifted box from the ground by 12 meters and includes a giant hall at the core to create a shaded public space for the people of Hangzhou and its many visitors.

In September 2019, the Hangzhou Canal Preservation & Development Construction Group Co., Ltd. Hangzhou launched a competition by invitation after a prequalification phase. In November, the firm's proposal was selected unanimously over the entries by David Chipperfield Architects and Zaha Hadid Architects.

The new museum will be situated at the pivotal junction of the Grand Canal and the Hanggang River – the main artery connecting to other large urban development areas in Hangzhou’s north. The studio's project aims "to reflect the Grand Canal’s importance in Chinese cultural and natural landscapes, and to create a vibrant, contemporary gathering place at the Grand Canal."

Surrounded by water on three sides, the museum itself is elevated by 12 meters from the ground. The two identical floors will house approximately 50,000-square-meter exhibition areas that can operate independently. 

The museum is anchored by a large mountain-shaped conference centre-hotel complex on the east side of the plot, facing the Grand Canal and connecting to the city with its proximity to the main road. 

"The museum is reflected in the water and the water in the museum’s façade," said Herzog & de Meuron. 

"Elegantly curved, this facade consists of large concave cast glass elements, resembling the sparkle of rippling water and amplifying the natural beauty of the Grand Canal. The museum is centered on the plot."

"Additional landscape is provided on top of the museum roof, amplifying the greenery of the project and enhancing its sustainability by integrating the roof landscape into a storm water management system."

"From here, much like from a mountain plateau, views of the Grand Canal and Hangzhou’s revered natural landscape as well as its ancient and new urban developments unfold," Herzog & de Meuron added.

This setting embodies "water in the front, mountain in the back" – a classic Chinese ideal of harmonious integration of people, buildings and their natural environment.

All images courtesy of Herzog & de Meuron

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