Xu Wei Art Museum and Green Vine Square

The project is positioned as public art space in community, being a crucial design practice in the urban renewal plan of Shaoxing Ancient City. Robust granite walls, extended glazing, herringbone slope roofs and rising drama stage complete the cultural ensemble, which emerges as a new public landmark for the city.

Drawing inspiration from the large space combination of the old Shaoxing Machine Tool Plant, the distinctive volumetry of "longitudinal five-way, horizontal three-fold unequal herringbone slope modeling" had been completed in the first site survey. Two floors volumes on the east and west sides serve as the main exhibition spaces, and the middle transparent volume serves as a transfer hub. The foyer runs through the north and south on the ground floor, while the small temporary lecture hall are arranged on the second floor. Internal courtyards are inserted in exhibition spaces, which reasonably separates the solid volume and enhances indoor permeability. Located on the south side of the venue, Green Vine Square connects the museum on the north side with Green Vine Study (former residence of Xu Wei) on the south side, paving the way for the frontcourt atmosphere. The square continues the construction logic of the museum, and ‘lifts up’ two herringbone slopes on the east and west sides respectively: the west side is slightly raised to create a flowing water scene, while the step-like setting on the east slope serves as a drama stage to provide an appropriate place for distribution and gathering.