Architects: Kengo Kuma & Associates
Area: 2,353 m²
Year: 2011
Photography: Daici Ano
Facility Consultants: P.T. Morimura & Associates
Design Team: Teppei Fujiwara, Minoru Ko (Shi Hu), Yuki Haba
Illumination Consultant: Iwai Lumimedia Design
Cooperation: Oak Structural Design
City: Chengdu
Country: China
The Xinjin Zhi Museum, designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates, is a pavilion at the base of Laojunshan Mountain in Xinjin, China. Drawing on Taoist philosophy, the building uses local materials and traditional techniques to blend seamlessly with its natural surroundings. Its suspended tile façade creates a sense of lightness, while varied façades respond to the landscape. Inside, the design guides visitors through a journey from darkness to light, with soft, diffused light filling the spaces and framing views of Laojunshan. Completed in 2011, the museum connects architecture and nature in a harmonious expression of Taoist ideals.
The pavilion serves as an entry point to a significant Taoist site, welcoming visitors with a design that embodies the essence of Taoism. The Xinjin Zhi Museum integrates its spiritual philosophy into both the architecture and the exhibitions it hosts, creating a space that reflects the cultural and philosophical heritage of the region.
The building’s façade uses local materials and traditional techniques, honoring Taoism’s principles of nature and balance. Tiles are suspended and lightened by wire, allowing them to “float” and disconnect from their weight. The façade, made of breathing tiles, blends harmoniously with the surrounding nature.
The southern façade is divided into upper and lower sections, each set at different angles. This design responds to two different levels—the pond in front and the street behind—and avoids direct confrontation with a nearby large building. The east façade features a large tile screen that twists vertically, reflecting the dynamic nature of the road in front. The north façade, facing the pedestrian square, remains flat and static. The tile screen thus changes its expression on each side, wrapping around the building like a single piece of fabric.
The architecture takes advantage of the varied topography around it. The circulation leads visitors from front to back, mirroring the transition from motion to stillness, like a garden stroll. Inside, the exhibition space spirals from darkness to light, with a panoramic view of Laojunshan from the upper floor. The tile façade blocks direct sunlight, allowing only soft, particle-like light to fill the interior.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: 1 Junshan Road, Xinjin County, Chengdu, Sichuan 6114437, China
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
