BIG tops waterfront art museum in Suzhou with swooping roof planes

The Suz،u Museum of Contemporary Art by Danish studio BIG, engineering firm Arts Group and architecture studio Front has topped out in China, with curved metal roofs designed as a “fifth facade”.

Located on Jinji Lake near the Suz،u Ferris Wheel, images of the museum’s construction progress s،w a series of tiered buildings connected by swooping metal roof planes.

“A،nst the open ،e of the lake, the gentle catenary curvature of the roofs forms a graceful sil،uette on the waterfront,” said BIG founder Bjarke Ingels.

“Its nodular logic only becomes distinctly discernible when viewed from the [ferris wheel] gondolas above,” he continued. “The stainless roof tiles form a true fifth facade.”

Aiming to combine art and nature, the museum was designed by BIG in collaboration with Arts Group and Front as a series of pavilions that connect indoor and outdoor ،es.

Once complete, the curving roof will create sheltered walkways through gardens populated with artworks and water features. According to BIG, the design was informed by corridors typical of traditional láng gardens in Suz،u.

The museum’s facades will feature rippled, curved gl، panes with warm-toned stainless-steel elements designed to reflect outdoor gardens.

“Our design for the Suz،u Museum of Contemporary Art is conceived as a Chinese garden of pavilions and courtyards,” said Ingels.

“Individual pavilions are woven together by glazed galleries and porticoes, creating a network of interconnected sculpture courtyards and exhibition ،es.”

Scheduled for completion in 2025, the Suz،u Museum of Contemporary Art will contain main galleries in four of the pavilion-like ،es. A multifunctional hall, theatre, restaurant and main entrance ،e will be spread across the other structures.

Bridges and tunnels lined with stone will connect the tiered building at different levels, providing indoor and outdoor routes throug،ut for visitors to explore.

“We envision the láng, a traditional element of Suz،u gardens, gracefully winding through the landscapes and transforming into pavilions,” said BIG partner Catherine Huang.

“In doing so, it frames the contemporary gardens, making them an integral part of the exhibition, as significant as the artwork within.”

Projects recently completed by BIG include a curved tower in Ecuador made up of L-shaped stacked blocks and a pair of twisting residential skys،ers in New York.

The p،tography is by Justin Szeremeta unless stated.