The CUBE Art Museum is a renovation project situated in the 798 Art District, neighboring the Pace Art Museum and the Minsheng Modern Art Museum. Both of these institutions were also designed and constructed by Zhu Bo, completed in 2009 and 2016 respectively.
The museum’s concept began with a sensitive and detailed study of the site’s environment, aiming to preserve the existing old industrial structures as much as possible. New constructions were then integrated to create a dynamic interplay between old and new, complementing surrounding industrial buildings like the Pace Art Museum.
The design reflects the texture of the original industrial heritage by using a series of box-like forms that emphasize orthogonal geometry, mirroring the construction and planning logic of the 798 area. A standout feature is the centrally located courtyard, crafted with an independent cast-in-place concrete wall. This transforms the original square, which was enclosed on three sides by factory buildings, into a relatively enclosed central courtyard.
A massive steel beam crane spans the north and south concrete walls, serving multiple purposes: it can suspend art installations and act as a mechanical traction system to stretch naturally sagging, nearly inverted, and variable-shaped canvases. These anti-arch shaped canvases can be adjusted freely depending on weather and sunlight, providing shade and shelter from rain. The courtyard serves as a gathering space, a venue for opening ceremonies, and an outdoor exhibition area.
The museum’s material palette pays homage to the 798 industrial plant, primarily featuring cast-in-place concrete and red brick. The design highlights the structural transition and interplay between these two materials in both the form and enclosure of the building.
The design further explores column-free, horizontally extended structural forms to enhance spatial expression. The two newly constructed exhibition halls feature large-span cast-in-place concrete structures without columns. One hall incorporates arched curved beams that allow natural light to filter between the arches, while the other uses concrete ribbed crossbeams, showcasing the inherent qualities of the material.
Project Drawings
△ Model
△ Model
△ Model
△ Base schematic diagram
△ General layout plan
△ First floor plan
△ Underground floor plan
△ Section diagram
△ Section diagram
△ Axial sectional view
△ Axonometric diagram
△ Elevation drawing
△ Elevation drawing
△ Elevation drawing
△ Elevation drawing
Project Information
Architect: Zhu Pei Architectural Firm
Area: 3541 m²
Year: 2020
Photographers: Runzi Zhu, Weiqi Jin
Lead Architect: Zhu Fen
Design Team: Shuhei Nakamura, led by Chang Chen, Zhang Shun, Liu Ling, Wang Liyan, Jia Bin, Ding Xinyue, and Chang Jiang
Owner: Beijing Qixing Huadian Technology Group Co., Ltd
Lighting Consultant: Beijing Ningzhijing Lighting Design Co., Ltd
General Contractor: Handan Second Construction and Installation Co., Ltd
Location: Beijing, China
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up