Designed by dEEP Architects, Hilltop Gallery locates on Yanshan Mountains bordering Beijing and Chengde, where there is a perfect view to Jinshanling Great Wall. With 1500 m2 construction area and 2600 m2 floor area, the building not only functions as an art gallery and venue for related cultural projects, but also a reception, dining and exhibition area for Phonenix Valley project.
Photography: Baiqiang Cao / ZERO
The site of the gallery is at a saddle on the top of the mountain. The architects used the natural terrain to celebrate the idea that the building grows in conformity with the mountain. “Leaning hills and taking advantage of the trend” is the principle they followed in this project. The concept of ???(potential) itself is also a traditional Eastern philosophy. It is the thinking that ancient Chinese faced in the construction within nature. A slightly tilted entrance introduces the visitors to the museum?s main exhibition space on the Ground Floor, where it offers unobstructed views to the breathtaking mountainous landscapes in distance and the elegantly resting pine trees in the front, leaving the entire space constantly submerged in nature. Following the undulation of the roof, you will find the exhibitive high space located at the bottom level of the building. The two main floors hosting general art-pieces are interloped by the sweeping loop stairs, and a hall catering for super-scaled art installations is made from a triple-height space. To the Eas...