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Suzhou Museum West
By : Suzhou Gold Mantis Culture Development Co., Ltd / Liu Jun / Yang Zhen / He Jiajun / Zhu Guijun / Liu Xinyuan
GRANDS PRIX DU DESIGN – 15th edition
Discipline : Interior Design
Categories : Culture, Sport & Leisure / Museum & Gallery : Gold Certification
Suzhou Museum West innovates in terms of space design, working with form, organizing exhibitions using multimedia technologies, creating displays, and taking into account all aspects that make a museum stand out.
In terms of space planning, each exhibition hall has been arranged according to a dynamic line that is articulated from the environment outside the museum. The planimetry reappropriated the geometric figures of the hexagon, octagon, diamond and square with corresponding meanings of “source”, “development”, “prosperity” and “harmony”. The modular design concepts that guided us in the realization of the mechanical and electrical systems, the overall decoration and the signage, make all these elements integrate organically to give life to an aesthetic sensibility that reflects the order. The display and arrangement of the artifacts on display reflects a high level of artistry. The design of the displays and other niches manages to stage the selection of artifacts on display, the display devices, the information vignettes, as well as the scenography and lighting of the space in a more harmonious and natural way.
The inspiration for this project came from the elegant, intelligent and sober culture of Jiangnan, and from a thorough research of the aesthetic impact of the changes in scale and proportion. We have, also, taken into account elements of the concept developed by the famous M. I.M Pei for the design of Suzhou Museum, located in the old city of Suzhou.
Materials and manufacturing:
Wooden floor, custom dimensional treatment, cushioning, incorporation of special fasteners, and pressure installation; extensive research regarding wall coverings, addition of custom patterns, overall composition, and combination of grainy surfaces with matte surfaces.
Other strategies for using and combining materials were employed in the same vein: metal ceilings, production of modular elements in a variety of shapes; a new type of transparent cement was used, made from ordinary white cement mixed with coagulant and optical fiber, requiring casting in a single step. Glass display cases 3220mm * 5208mm, low reflection and bending technology, with a reflectivity of approximately 5% were employed to highlight the artifacts on display.
Technology and specifications:
No less than 16 brick patterns were used to depict a residence named Pingjiang. They are made from yellow mud from the bottom of Yangcheng Lake and shaped in more than 20 processes, including mold making, mud refining, blank making, kiln charging, firing, polishing, carving, etc.
“The Knightly Order of Assassins” is a sculptural work featuring various characters. The metal lines are assembled, welded and polished to create relief effects that are soft and particularly vivid. The video “Atlas on the Life of the Citizens of the Southern Song Dynasty” depicts the lifestyle of citizens living during the Southern Song Dynasty using hand-painted works, colorful banners and two-dimensional animation effects as scenic elements.
