Arata Isozaki & Associates
CAFA Art Museum
Beijing, China
Photo © Iwan Baan
The curvilinear exterior walls of the CAFA Art Museum, located at the northeast corner of the CAFA (China Central Academy of Fine Arts) campus, are clad with traditional Chinese slate.
Composed of two surfaces the walls are detached at the ends to let natural light into the building through skylights and large windows.
Photo © Iwan Baan
Photo © Iwan Baan
From the main entrance, located in the center of the building, you enter a large full height atrium with long straight ramps that gradually climb to the various floors of the museum. Natural light spreads throughout the museum through fiber glass membranes under the skylights.
Photo © Iwan Baan
Photo © Iwan Baan
Photo © Iwan Baan
The ground floor can accommodate large installations that can be viewed from various levels of the ramp. The permanent collection, focusing on traditional Chinese art, is located in galleries on the first floor, temporary exhibitions on the second and third floor.
The large open skylit spaces, with the curvilinear walls, allow for many different types of contemporary art installations. The exhibition space on the third floor is open to the double volume of the second floor.
Photo © Iwan Baan
Photo © Iwan Baan
There are four floors above ground, two below ground. The bookstore, cafeteria are located in the main space on the ground floor. There is a lecture hall, studio, and conference room on B1, painting and calligraphy conservation offices, including the restoration room, lab, temporary and permanent collection warehouse, on B2. Technical equipment, security staircases and elevators are contained in rectangular volumes, clad in marble.
Drawing courtesy Arata Isozaki & Associates
First Floor Plan
Drawing courtesy Arata Isozaki & Associates
Second Floor Plan
Drawing courtesy Arata Isozaki & Associates
Third Floor Plan
Drawing courtesy Arata Isozaki & Associates
Roof Plan
Drawing courtesy Arata Isozaki & Associates
Section
Site Area: 3,546 square meters
Total floor area: 14, 777 square meters
Completed: 2008
Client: CAFA
Architects: Arata Isozaki & Associates
Photographed by Iwan Baan
Arata Isozaki & Associates arcspace features
August 16, 2010