Liangzhu Culture Museum

As early as 3,000 years ago people settled in the region along the banks of the Yangtze River. The new Liangzhu Culture Museum was erected in commemoration of these early civilisations on a former industrial site in the heart of a new residential district in the modern city of Hangzhou. The museum displays archaeological finds and relics excavated in the vicinity that were created by the ancient Liangzhu culture.
The museum park, an artificial landscape of softly rounded hills and streams, leads the visitor into the past: Low passageways through rock walls, which are propped up by steel walls, lead into small secluded gardens that resemble real archaeological excavation sites.
Circular rock slabs are incorporated into the garden design . They resemble the actual discs on display inside the museum that were typical of the Liangzhu culture. These discs became the main design theme of the garden, which is continued inside the museum’s courtyards as well.

Client
Zhejiang Narada Real Estate Group Co., Ltd.

Architect
David Chipperfield Architects, Berlin

Service phases
2-5

Completion
October 2006

Photos
Christian Richter; Levin Monsigny Landscape Architects