Architects: Kengo Kuma & Associates
Area: 3,437 m²
Year: 2024
Photography: Eiichi Kano, Fangfang Tian
Construction: Jiangsu Hanjian Group
Facility and Exterior Consultants: Jiangsu Hanjian Group
Design Team: Yutaka Terasaki, Mengxian Bao, Qirui Liu, Yiwen Shen, Pan Luo, Xiaoshan Huang, Yoo Shiho (Graphic)
Illumination Consultant: Yushe Yuzhu
Cooperation: Crownhomes Co., Ltd
City: Yixing
Country: China
The UCCA Clay Museum, designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates in Yixing, China, celebrates the region’s ceramic heritage with a design that blends tradition and modern architecture. The museum’s mountain-like shape and wooden roof reflect the local culture and history, while the facade, created with local artisans, mimics the texture and warmth of pottery. Completed in 2024, the museum includes workshops and serves as a center for Yixing’s ceramic traditions.
Situated in a former ceramic manufacturing district, the museum is part of a broader redevelopment initiative aimed at transforming the area into a cultural hub for ceramics. Known as the “ceramic capital” for its purple clay pottery, Yixing was once home to numerous pottery factories and ateliers. The redevelopment plan seeks to preserve remnants of these old factories while incorporating new cultural spaces, including ateliers and workshops, to foster the future of ceramic arts in the region.
The building’s form draws inspiration from Shushan Mountain, located nearby, and the dragon kiln, a 600-year-old climbing kiln. This mountain-like shape is punctured to establish connections between the pottery factory, the canal, and the surrounding factory complex, integrating the building into its historical context.
The roof features an inverted shell structure made of four layers of wooden lattice beams. The light yet sturdy wooden structure creates a dynamic interior, guiding circulation and sightlines deeper into the space.
The building’s facade reflects the “temperature” of pottery manufacturing, created through collaboration with local artisans. The ceramic panels have an uneven surface, glazed in varying color gradients, which change with the time of day and season. The texture, similar to Chinese tea ware, connects to the city’s long-standing ceramic traditions, passed down over 1,000 years.
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Project Location
Address: Yixing, Jiangsu, China
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
