Xu Wei Art Museum and Qingteng Square stand as integral components of our project in Shaoxing Ancient City, playing a pivotal role in the urban renewal initiative “Seeing Qingteng Again.” These spaces, serving as the primary venue for the “500th Anniversary of Xu Wei’s Birth and the Opening Ceremony of Xu Wei’s Hometown,” were officially inaugurated in May 2021.
© Jonathan Leijonhufvud
The conceptual framework for the Xu Wei Art Museum emerged during the initial site survey, drawing inspiration from the architectural and landscaping elements of Qingteng Bookstore. The aim was to introduce a novel spatial language, fostering a connection with the surrounding built environment dominated by traditional small-scale dwellings. This approach sought to address the contemporary requirements of expansive exhibition spaces while engaging in a discourse on the interplay between “modernity and historical context” within the context of the ancient city’s renewal. © Jonathan Leijonhufvud
Xu Wei Art Museum’s Design Concept
The Xu Wei Art Museum, nestled amidst the former Shaoxing Machine Tool Plant, draws inspiration from the expansive layout of the old plant. Utilizing the construction logic of “longitudinal five-entry and horizontal three-fold unequal herringbone slope modeling,” the design unfolds with two primary exhibition spaces on the east and west sides, bridged by a middle floor that spans two levels. The g...