Construction starts on Datong Art Museum

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.