qingdao archive museum
The shape they form together is defined by the site condition: The building area is limited by two different angles, that are picked up to each define one corner, serving as anchors to root the building on the site. The building further develops following the surrounding area: The more public areas of the exhibitions form an interface to the city, whilst the most enclosed areas of the archives are set back, furthest away from the streets, protected by the different layers of the building. Like the central piece of a castle it is the heart of the complex.
Aside from this collective gesture, each of the three elements have a distinct own character, partly defined by the demands set to it as part of the big picture, partly defined by its internal needs.
The aim of this design is to create a building that shows all its different functions and elements, but at the same time forms one harmonious whole.
We do that by creating three elements, which are carved out of the same stone:
1 - the block for the archive, situated in the north-eastern corner
2 - the L-shaped volume for the exhibition, situated in the opposite corner
3 - the base, serving as a connector between those poles
Each of those elements can be read individually, but only together do they form the entire archive museum. They become both: An individual unit and a piece of something bigger.
2 - the exhibition
The "gate" divides the volume into its two sides, which serve as equal entrances to the two exhibitions. The two lobbies are connected on the inside through a common space intended for temporary exhibitions. The western lobby leads the visitor upwards into the loop of the exhibition volume. This loop is connected to the base on both of its end, allowing for visitors to either enjoy the entire exhibition of just parts of it - what also allows different concepts of exhibition.
The eastern lobby leads into the larger exhibition of the city, that is situated inside the base volume.
1 - the archive
The block in the north-eastern corner of the site houses the main part of the archives, as well as the offices. A massive block allows for an efficient floorplan, but also evokes the idea of a safe, protected place for the historical documents. Its rigid shape is broken up by a diagonal cut throughout the building, that serves a dual function: It connects the building to the surrounding, as it follows the angles of the opposite corner, but it also shows a separation inside the building, indicating the split between storage and office.