Location: Foshan, China.

Architect: Tadao Ando Architect & Associates.

The He Art Museum in Foshan City, China was designed by an architect to house the personal collection of a client who wanted to contribute to the culture of his hometown. The museum is named after the Chinese characters for peace and harmony, which are achieved through the combination of art and culture. The circular form of the building represents the yin yang symbol of harmony, which has been used in Chinese architecture and art for centuries. The building is constructed to resemble a single ripple spreading through a great body of water, with four vertically stacked circular volumes expanding in fixed increments. The circular layers are joined by a five-story atrium enveloped by a double helix staircase, which forms the structural and conceptual center of the building composition. The circular volume comprises a café, exhibition space for traditional art in Nanyue, and modern and contemporary art. A simple rectangular volume with high ceilings was added to create a flexible space for exhibiting the client’s modern art collection and a range of exhibits. The visual contrast between the “circle” and the “rectangle,” as well as the spatial misalignment produced at their point of collision, gives this gallery a distinctive personality. Water was used as the landscaping motif to establish a space where people from the surrounding offices and commercial buildings could relax and reflect. The spanning water feature complements the circular structure, acting as a mirror to the sky and greenery and highlighting its distinct qualities. The architect hopes that the He Art Museum will become a new focal point for Nanyue culture and provide a symbolic place for people to gather in peace and harmony.

Photo credit: HEM.