World-renowned Architects Invited to Changsha for “Reconstruction and Expansion Project” of Hunan Provincial Museum

On the morning of December 10, News Conference and Signing Ceremony of International Short-listed Competition for Conceptual Design for Reconstruction and Expansion of Hunan Provincial Museum was held in Sheraton Changsha Hotel. World famous architects from six architectural and design firms, namely, Germany GMP Architects, Italian n!studio, French AS. Architecture-Studio, Arata Isozaki & Associates, VBN Corporation & ARUP and Hunan Provincial Architectural Design Institute, were invited and attended the meeting.

Before the News Conference and Signing Ceremony, the architects visited and surveyed our museum in the company of relevant experts and leaders.

Site survey at Hunan Provincial Museum

Guo Kailang, vice-governor of Hunan Province, greeted their coming and expressed the expectation to see their world-leading and high standard designs integrated with Hunan’s history and culture.

Guo Kailang, vice-governor of Hunan Province, is meeting the architects participated in this competition.

The successful completion of news conference and signing ceremony afterwards symbolizes that the “Reconstruction and Expansion Project” of Hunan Provincial Museum has been launched in an all-round way. It is reported that the short-listed designs will be selected and displayed in next March.

At the Signing Ceremony

On the afternoon, Chen Jianming, director of Hunan Provincial Museum, further strengthened the cooperative relationship and communication with the architects by presenting a general overview of this project which was followed by answering their questions.

Chen Jianming, director of Hunan Provincial Museum, is answering the questions raised by the architects.

By the time when this “Reconstruction and Expansion Project” is completed, the total building area of Hunan Provincial Museum will reach 78,000 m2, with substantial improvement in the facilities and conditions for cultural relics preservation, exhibition, audience education service. The total number of visitors received by Hunan Provincial Museum will experience a considerable increase, from the exiting 1.4 million to 2.5~3 million every year.

The objectives of this project is to build Hunan Provincial Museum as one of the key centers for conservation of cultural relics and an open window through which people can learn about the history and culture of Hunan. Meeting the requirements of “energy-saving and environment-friendly”, Hunan Provincial Museum will be transformed into a public cultural service centre at the downtown of Changsha, and a new cultural landmark in Changsha.

In a word, with the spirit of Hunan province and seeking the wisdom from all over the world, we are striving to build a national key museum which would reach the international advanced level.

Brief Introduction of Participant Firms:

1.Germany GMP Architects

Highlight Works: 
BERLIN CENTRAL STATION
THE RECONSTRUCTION AND EXPANSION PROJECT OF CHINA NATIONAL MUSEUM
CHONGQING GRAND THEATRE

Website: www.gmp-architekten.de

2.n!studio

Highlight Works: 
SAN VINCENZO ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM 
NAZZANO RIVER MUSEUM
CASA ARTUSI MUSEUM
BRETEUIL GALLIC-ROMAN MUSEUM
XI’AN TANG KING MARKET MUSEUM

Website: www.nstudio.it

3.AS. Architecture-Studio

Highlight Works: 
PARIS ARAB WORLD RESEARCH CENTER
STRASBOURG EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HOUSE
RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT OF PARIS STATE RADIO BUILDING
LEBANON BEIRUT GRAND THEATER
TIBET NATURAL SCIENCE MUSEUM

Website: www.architecture-studio.com.cn

4.Arata Isozaki & Association

Highlight Works:

ITA PREFECTURAL LIBRARY
LA MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART
TATEYAMA MUSEUM OF TOYAMA
GALLERY OF CHINA CENTRAL ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

Website: www.c-channel.com/c00005/index_en.html

5.VBN Corporation & ARUP

Highlight Works of VBN Corporation:

MARTIN LUTHER KING SQUARE
CLAYTON CIVIC CENTER
SUN FRANCISCO MILANO OPERA HOUSE
BEIJING CHILDREN’S MUSEUM
GUIZHOU MUSEUM

Website: www.vbnplanning.com

Highlight Works of ARUP:

NEW CCTV BUILDING
THE BIRD NEST FOR 2008 BEIJING OLYMPICS
WATER CUBE FOR 2008 BEIJING OLYMPICS
GUANGDONG MUSEUM
GUANGDONG SIGHTSEEING TOWER

6.Hunan Provincial Architectural Design Institute

Highlight Works:
HUNAN PROVINCIAL MUSEUM EXHIBITION BUILDING
RECONSTRUCTION AND EXPANSION OF MAO ZEDONG MEMORIAL, SHAOSHAN
WUZHOU MUSEUM
HUNAN MASSES ART CENTRE 
RECONSTRUCTION AND EXPANSION OF CHANGSHA HUANGHUA AIRPORT

Website: www.hnadi.com.cn/newEbiz1/EbizPortalFG/portal/html/index.html

Translated and edited by Hunan Provincial Museum