The design of China’s new He Art Museum showcases the strengths of one of Asia’s most important architects.
By Rachel Gallaher
Architectural Rendering of HEM ©HEM
The recently completed He Art Museum (HEM),
in the Shunde district of Foshan, in southeastern China, is a hallmark example of Pritzker Prize–winning Japanese architect Tadao Ando’s celebrated work.
Lauded for his balance of simple forms and complex spatial circulation, poetic use of natural light, and stunning minimalism, the self-taught Ando has risen to the occasion once again with this modern art museum, which is slated to open this summer. Designed with an asymmetrical profile, the more than 170,000-square-foot building comprises four stacked spherical levels with a double-helix spiral staircase at their center.
The pure, fluid lines of the structure nod to HEM’s founding philosophy, which emphasizes balance and harmony. Visitors will enter the museum via a walkway that cuts through a tranquil water feature—another vital element of Ando’s nature-centered style.
