Dotsss Children's Museum
In 2021, amidst the picturesque lakes and islands of Chengdu's LUXELAKES, we embarked on a mission to construct an 'iceberg' for children, encouraging them to delve into the deeper and intricate enigmas of the world. The project is situated in the northwest of Luxelakes, just all the way across the vibrant Luxezone. It is enveloped by sports and leisure facilities such as a sports center, camping experience area, and commercial blocks, showcasing the area's energy and liveliness.
Architect recognized that this children's museum, unlike traditional museums, was intended not to simply look back at history, but to instead propel towards the future - catering to children, showcasing the world's diversity through its various spaces and exhibits, and engaging young viewers to actively explore and contemplate it in their own manner.
➤ Concept map & Analysis chart ©DL Atelier
In order to reduce the influence of the exhibition props on the building shape, in the architectural design stage, the selection of more adaptable square box space can reserve space for the future growth of the building.Each individual square box space is not a standalone amusement park. The boxes are open to each other, linked by atriums and outdoor courtyards, and encircled by activity areas of varying sizes.In this way, the visiting path becomes highly flexible, and the courtyard is like a limited version of the museum's "Doraemon Anywhere Door", enabling visitors to select their desired exhibition hall freely after crossing the courtyard. The originally intended large-scale aluminum mesh was too soft and easy to wrinkle, so we ended up replacing it with a tensioned membrane. The geometric aesthetics of the iceberg are fully expressed as the semi-transparent tensile membrane brings cascading geometric changes to the building under different viewing angles and lighting conditions.
When these dispersed boxes are wrapped in a tensioned membrane to form a whole, the distinct yet gentle architectural edges beneath the membrane will take on perversely attractive. The pristine white appearance of the building resembles an iceberg that has appeared suddenly in this location, providing the public with a familiar yet unfamiliar architectural experience.
Lead architect: Liu Yang
Participating architects: Sun Xinye, Cai Zhuoqun, Ding Yuewen, Shi Weiwei, Duan Qi
Construction drawing design: Sichuan Xilian Architectural Planning and Design Co., Ltd.
Interior design: MOD Architecture
Area: 5736㎡
Location: Sichuan, China
