Tags
Chinese garden, Humble Administrators Garden, Lion Grove Garden, Photography, Shanghai, Suzhou Museum, World Heritage Site
Designing a modern structure that celebrates traditional local architecture without compromising form and functionality, is not an easy task. When I.M.Pei was approached by the mayor of Suzhou to design a museum in 2001, his brief was just that. The fact that the earmarked site was in the heritage area of Suzhou and backed against “The Humble Administrators Garden” was an additional handicap. From the look of the remarkable building in front of us, Pei managed to pull off the feat to near perfection!
Front View and Circular doorway - Suzhou Museum
For Pei was no stranger to Suzhou! This was the city of his ancestors and although he was not born here, he spent many holidays in his ancestral home in “The Lion Grove Garden”, another World Heritage Site!
Pyramidical Skylight - Suzhou Museum
The Museum that opened in 2006 was his interpretation of the distinctive elements of the traditional Suzhou landscape!
Wood & glass ceiling in the passage - Suzhou, China
The circular doorway, the grey color palette, the walled garden, the water bodies, the viewing pavillions, the zigzag bridge, the beautiful framed vistas from every angle – all pay homage to the city and the gardens that he played in as a child!
Zigzag bridge - Suzhou Museum
Pei hoped this would be “…..a case study for contemporary design in historic environs for the new generation of Chinese planners, government officials, and designers”
Reading Room - Suzhou Museum
Pool & fountain under the stairs - Suzhou Museum
This was the primary reason why we chose to visit Suzhou! (Much like we dashed across to Bilbao on a day-trip from Barcelona, just to see the Guggenheim Museum!!)
Suzhou Museum - Suzhou, China
The exhibits inside are really beautiful and worth seeing, but as far as I was concerned, this exquisite little bulding was the star of the show! If you are at all interested in architecture do include the Suzhou Museum in your Shanghai itinerary.
Thank you for visiting and happy travels!
Related Links:
Image Gallery of the Suzhou Museum – For more images
Revisiting Roots – A New York Times article on I.M.Pei’s return to China
The City of the Earth – My earlier post on Suzhou
Great Architecture my friend
It Is Jake! Thank you!
Very well presented!
Thank you Jayanthi!
I. M. Pei is hands down my favourite architect – I just love the way he designs with such elegant simplicity; I used to live just up the road from his Bank of China Tower (in Hong Kong) and every day I’d sit and gaze at it from my bedroom window. It single-handedly redefined the skyline and to this day it’s the most unique skyscraper we have. His buildings really do have a sense of timelessness.
I can’t imagine how personal the Suzhou Museum was for Pei; for any architect this would certainly be a labour of love – the mayor certainly made the right choice! Thank you for sharing Madhu, I really enjoyed this entry!
Thank you James! He is one of my favourite architects too!
Thank you James! He is one of my favourite architects too!
I love the zigzag bridge and the reading room! I had the opportunity to visit the last structure (I think!) he designed: the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha, Qatar. It is also surrounded by water and is really beaitiful.
Have read about it Meenakshi. Hope to see it someday! He was apparently inspired by the Ibn Tulun Mosque in Cairo that I featured in my earlier post on the city. Appreciate your feedback!
Beautiful building! I.M Pei is such an amazing architect! One of the world’s best today. Am glad to know he built a building at one of his favourite’s city
He is one of my favourite architects too!