Construction starts on Datong Art Museum
26 April 2012
Construction has got underway on the new 32,000 m2 Datong Art Museum in Datong, Shanxi province, China. The centrepiece of the structure is a 37 m high Grand Gallery exhibition space, with a span of 80 m, which will be used to display specially commissioned large-scale artworks.
Externally the building, which was designed by Foster + Partners, is sunk into the ground with only the peaks of the roof visible at ground level. The roof will be clad in earth-toned Corten steel and is composed of four interconnected pyramids.
The building is designed to be passively heated and respond to Datong's climate. High-level skylights take advantage of the building's north and north-west orientation, using natural light to minimise solar gain and ensure the optimum environment for the works of art. The roof, which accounts for 70% of the exposed surface area, is will be insulated to twice building code requirements and, with just 10 % glazing, maintenance requirements will also be minimised.