Guangzhou Museum

The Guangzhou Museum is envisaged to form part of a cluster of cultural buildings at the base of the 595-metre Canton Tower, the tallest structure in Guangzhou.

Cantonese culture is composed of a number of distinct strands that influence one another. The three primary streams of Guangdong culture – Guangfu, Hakka, and Chaoshan – are expressed physically in the three volumes that make up Farrells’ competition entry for the museum. The largest of the forms houses the permanent exhibitions as well as rooms showcasing local arts and crafts. The lower east element houses thematic exhibitions, while the portion on top houses administrative offices and curatorial facilities.

The three volumes enclose the Time Galleria, a central atrium. They become intertwined as they deform in response to the shape of the site, expressing the fusion of distinct but complementary cultures in the Guangdong region.