The collaboration between Álvaro Siza and Carlos Castanheira have completed a new cultural center, Humao Museum of Art and Education, in Ningbo, China. A volume challenging, an undulated building wraped black corrugated metal and only with windows on back façade.

Nothing is obvious in this little building leaning against on a hillside on the banks of Dongqian Lake, designed  with an undulated shape, seems to evoke an elegant black floating object.
Álvaro Siza and Carlos Castanheira designed a metal shell, which is elevated on a concrete plinth, giving access through an entrance using a baroque playing. Throughing a first compressed space, inside conceals a vast space, an unexpectedly bright and spacious interior that include a maze of ramps and white-walled art spaces running all height of the building.

This exercise of compression and release is constant during all visit. Inside, its diversity in routes and the interconnection of spaces makes this small building vast inside. The introspective calm of the exhibition spaces contrasts with the movement of the visitors circulating in the enormous void.
 

Project description by Carlos Castanheira

A Museum must be big. Inside.
A Museum must be bright. Inside.
The Art Education Museum is a small Museum that is immense inside.
Leaning against on the hillside, its undulating form hovers above the ground.
It is intriguing in its elegance and in its mystery.

Nothing is obvious in this little building.
The public entrance is reached after passing around the form of the building and experiencing an imposed, absorbing compression,
to then be released into a vast space, the full height of the building, where a snaking ramp links all the floor levels.

This exercise of compression and release is constant during the visit.
This diversity in routes and the interconnection of spaces makes this small building vast inside.
Its volume is equally challenging.

From the exterior it is suspended above the ground as it undulates in its metal cladding.
It reflects the ever-changing daylight that makes the form move and transform. Incessantly.
Inside, the introspective calm of the exhibition spaces contrasts with the movement of the visitors circulating in the enormous void.
Dynamism is taught through Art.
Size doesn’t matter, but a Museum must have a Big Soul.

Small on the outside and immense inside.

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Architects
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Álvaro Siza with Carlos Castanheira.
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Project team
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1st phase (schematic design).- Luis Reis, Elisabete Queirós, Pedro Carvalho.
2nd phase (design development/construction).- Pedro Carvalho.
Project Team.- Jorge Santos, Joana Soeiro, Sara Pinto, Susana Oliveira, Francesca Tiri, Rita Ferreira, Diana Vasconcelos, Inês Bastos, Luísa Felizardo.
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Collaborators
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3D models and renderings.- Germano Vieira, Sara Noronha.
Portuguese consultants: Light design.- Alexandre Martins – GPIC. Acoustical engineering.- Filipe Andrade Santos.
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Local Partners
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Consultants.- Zhejiang Huazhi Architecture Design Ltd.
Local management & supervision.- Chunyi Liu, Architect. Office in Ningbo.-Design institute of Landscape & Architecture – China Academy of Art.
Engineering.- Hangzhou MJP Mechanical & Electrical Design Consultant Ltd.
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Model
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Escala Reduzida.
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Builder
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Zhejiang Wanhua Construction Ltd.
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Area
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Gross built area.- 6268.05 m². Height.- 22.52 meter.
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Dates
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Project.- 2014 – Construction.- 2017. Completed.- 2019 - Opening.- 2020.
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Localitation
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Ningbo, Zhejiang province, China.
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Photography
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Bowen Hou / HouPictures. Nature Image.
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Álvaro Joaquim Melo Siza Vieira was born in Matosinhos (near Porto), in 1933. From 1949-55 he studied at the School of Architecture, University of Porto. His first built project was finished in 1954. From 1955-58 he was collaborator of Arch. Fernando Távora. He taught at the School of Architecture (ESBAP) from 1966-69 and was appointed Professor of "Construction" in 1976. He was a Visiting Professor at the Ècole Polythéchnique of Lausanne, the University of Pennsylvania, Los Andes University of Bogotá and the Graduate School of Design of Harvard University; he taught at the School of Architecture of Porto (jubilate in 2003).

He is the author of many projects such as: the Boa Nova Tea House and Restaurant; 1200 dwellings built in Malagueira, Évora; the Superior School of Education in Setúbal, the new School of Architecture in Porto; the Library of Aveiro University; the Museum of Modern Art in Porto; the Church and Parochial Centre in Marco de Canavezes; the Pavilion of Portugal for EXPO '98 and the Pavilion of Portugal in Hannover 2000 (with Souto de Moura); the dwelling and offices complex of “Terraços de Bragança” in Lisbon; and he has rebuilt the burnt area of Chiado in Lisbon since 1988, including the projects for some buildings like Castro e Melo, Grandella, Chiado Stores, and others.

He has been coordinated the plan of Schilderswijk's recuperation in The Hague, Holland, since 1985, which finished in 89; in 1995 he finished the project for blocs 6-7-8 in Ceramique Terrein, Maastricht.

In Spain he has completed the projects for the Meteorological Centre of Villa Olimpica in Barcelona; the Museum of Contemporary Art of Galicia and the Faculty of Information Sciences in Santiago de Compostela; the Rectorate of the Alicante University; Zaida building – offices, commercial and dwelling complex in Granada; Sportive Complex Cornellà de L’lobregat in Barcelona.

Cultural Centre and auditorium for the Ibere Camargo Foundation in Brazil; Municipal Centre of Rosario in Argentina; lodging-house in the Plan of Recuperation and Transformation of Cidade Velha in Cap Vert; Serpentine Pavillion (2005) with Eduardo Souto Moura; Museum of Modern Art of Naples in Italy; Anyang Pavilion in South Korea (with Carlos Castanheira); Mimesis Museum in South Korea (with Carlos Castanheira); are to be mentioned.

He has participated in several lectures and conferences in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Norway, Holland, Switzerland, Austria, England, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Canada, United States, Romania, Greece, South Korea and Sweden.

Having been invited to participate in international competitions, he won the first place in Schlesisches Tor, Kreuzberg, Berlin (now built), at the recuperation of Campo di Marte in Venice (1985) and at the renewal of Casino and Café Winkler, Salzburg (1986); Cultural Centre for the La Defensa, Madrid (with José Paulo Santos) (1988/89); J. Paul Getty Museum, Malibu, California (with Peter Testa) (1993); Pietà Rondanini Room, Sforzesco Castell, Milan (1999); Special Plan Recoletos-Prado, Madrid (with Juan Miguel Hernandez Leon e Carlos Riaño) (2002); Toledo Hospital (Sánchez-Horneros office) (2003); “Atrio de la Alhambra” in Spain (with Juan Domingo Santos)(2010); “Parco delle Cave”, Lecce in Italy (with Carlos Castanheira) (2010).

He has participated in the competitions for Expo 92 in Sevilla, Spain (with Eduardo Souto de Moura and Adalberto Dias) (1986); for "Un Progetto per Siena", Italy (with José Paulo Santos) (1988); the Cultural Centre La Defensa in Madrid, Spain (1988/89); the Bibliothèque of France in Paris (1989/90), the Helsinki Museum (with Souto de Moura) (1992-93); Flamenco City of Xerez de la Frontera, Spain (with Juan Miguel Hernandez Leon) (2003).

From 1982 to 2010 has won many different awards and have been assigned with Medals of Cultural Merit from many country around the world. Doctor "Honoris Causa" in various European and International universities.

He is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Science; "Honorary Fellow" of the Royal Institute of British Architects; AIA/American Institute of Architects; Académie d'Architecture de France and European Academy of Sciences and Arts; Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts; IAA/International Academy of Architecture; American Academy of Arts and Letters.

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Carlos Castanheira was born in Lisbon in June 1957. Graduated in Architecture from the Porto School of Fine Arts (1976-1981), he lived in Amsterdam from 1981 to 1990, where he worked as an architect and studied at the Academie Voor Bouwkunst Van Amsterdam.

In 1993 he founded the studio Carlos Castanheira & Clara Bastai, Arquitectos Lda. with Architect Maria Clara Bastai. Working mainly in the private sector, she has served as a jury in competition panels, participated in conferences, participated in the creation of architectural education courses and workshops, curated and organized exhibitions, and edited and published books and catalogues.

Since he was a student he has collaborated with the architect Álvaro Siza in several projects in Portugal but, above all, abroad.
 
2005.– National Prize for Architecture in Timber – AIMMP with the project “Avenal House,” Ul Oliveira de Azeméis, Portugal.

2011.– National Prize for Architecture in Timber  – AFN/MA with project “Adpropeixe House”, Terras do Bouro, Gerês, Portugal.

2011.– Honorable Mention in National Prize for Architecture in Timber – AFN/MA with the project “Casa da Torre Winery”, Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal.

2015.– Best Wine of Tourism – Regional winner in category of Architecture and Landscape with project “Quinta da Faísca Winery”, Favaios, Alijó, Portugal.

2015.– Awarded by the Internacional Archdaily  in the category: “Office building of the year 2015”, with the “Building on the Water- Shihlien Chemical”, with Architect Alvaro Siza, Jiangsu, China.

2015.– Awarded with an Honorable Mention in National Prize for Architecture in Timber  – AFN/MA with Project “Equestrian Center,” Leça da Palmeira. Portugal.

2016.– Selected for the Archmarathon Awards with Álvaro Siza, with the project “Building on the Water- Shihlien Chemical”, Jiangsu, China.

2016.– One of the seven finalists projects , in Prizes of the Archdaily Platform, in the category of “Sport Building”,  with the “Equestrian  Center” in, Cabo do Mundo, Leça da Palmeira, Matosinhos.

2017.– Valmor Municipal Architecture Prize, from Lisbon City Council, with Architect Álvaro Siza with the project “Chiado Public Space.Carmo Connection”, Lisbon, concerning to the year of 2015, best project.
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Published on: December 8, 2020
Cite: "Álvaro Siza and Carlos Castanheira finish the MoAE - Huamao Art Education Museum" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/alvaro-siza-and-carlos-castanheira-finish-moae-huamao-art-education-museum> ISSN 1139-6415
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