Location: Beijing, China.

Architect: Penda China.

The Hongkun Art Gallery in Beijing is located on the eastern 3rd ring road and features a white exterior that serves as a sculptural focal point for the area. The gallery’s entrance is through an opening in the monolithic facade, and the arch-like curves continue to the interior, merging into a clean white space for exhibiting artworks. The open areas in the gallery offer a wide space for themed exhibitions, while the gently curved entrance part draws people into the space and guides them further into the gallery. The gallery’s design is inspired by the shape of a cave, which has been used for thousands of years as a transmitter for art and history. The solid expression of the exterior merges with a carved out interior, increasing the sculptural appearance of the gallery. Multiple arches altering in size and orientation create a continuous, gentle curve that becomes a sculptural interpretation of the landscape paintings exhibited in the gallery. The entrance sculpture within the arches houses an information desk, a coatroom, and the main circulation staircase, which guides visitors to the basement with a special exhibition hall and employees to the office area located on the mezzanine level.

Photo credit: Xia Zhi.