Cox Rayner's China Maritime Museum expected to open in 2017
POSTED 04 Dec 2015 . BY Kim Megson
The museum will be located in Tianjin, China's fourth-largest city Credit: Cox Rayner Architects
Attractions Management understands that the award-winning design for China’s new National Maritime Museum, created by Australian practice Cox Rayner Architects, is now likely to be realised in 2017.
The project, located in the city of Tianjin, was originally set to open in 2015 but has suffered delays since it was named the Future Project of the Year at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) in 2013.
A representative from Cox Rayner told Attractions Management that the museum will now be completed within two years.
The architects – who won an international competition to design the project – have visualised five shell-like structures radiating out towards the city’s port harbour. These halls, which converge into one central building, will house exhibits exploring China’s nature and oceans, maritime civilisation and historic vessels.
“The architecture is expressive and open to multiple interpretations,” said Cox Rayner in a statement. “The halls could represent an open hand, sea anemones, coral or vessels in the port. They are not obvious metaphors, but act as enticements for visitors to explore the multifaceted set of experiences within.”
The five structures will be fronted by a ‘maritime plaza’ where re-enactments and and open air events will be staged.
The design was praised by the WAF judges in 2013 for its conceptual clarity. They said the design evoked a strong sense of the maritime experience, brining together "vast collections of elements of China's rich maritime history and offering the visitor references to global maritime cultures". The panel added that they were looking forward to "a realisation that maintains the integrity of the original idea."
The museum complex will cover 80,000sq m (861,000sq ft) and is to be located on an area of park land. Construction cost is estimated at AUS$290m (US$212.3m, €195m, £140.3m) with the exhibition fit-out adding a further AUS$80m (US$58.5m, €53.7m, £38.7m) to the budget.
At this year’s WAF, which took place in Singapore, Bjarke Ingels Group won the Future Project of the Year award for their Vancouver House penthouse development in Canada.
Cox Rayner were again nominated in the category, this time for their design for a new cultural centre in the Australian city of Cairns.
Five shell-like structures will radiate out towards the city’s port harbour Credit: Cox Rayner Architects
The galleries will house exhibits exploring China’s nature and oceans, maritime civilisation and historic vessels Credit: Cox Rayner Architects
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Cox Rayner's China Maritime Museum expected to open in 2017
POSTED 04 Dec 2015 . BY Kim Megson
The museum will be located in Tianjin, China's fourth-largest city Credit: Cox Rayner Architects
Attractions Management understands that the award-winning design for China’s new National Maritime Museum, created by Australian practice Cox Rayner Architects, is now likely to be realised in 2017.
The project, located in the city of Tianjin, was originally set to open in 2015 but has suffered delays since it was named the Future Project of the Year at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) in 2013.
A representative from Cox Rayner told Attractions Management that the museum will now be completed within two years.
The architects – who won an international competition to design the project – have visualised five shell-like structures radiating out towards the city’s port harbour. These halls, which converge into one central building, will house exhibits exploring China’s nature and oceans, maritime civilisation and historic vessels.
“The architecture is expressive and open to multiple interpretations,” said Cox Rayner in a statement. “The halls could represent an open hand, sea anemones, coral or vessels in the port. They are not obvious metaphors, but act as enticements for visitors to explore the multifaceted set of experiences within.”
The five structures will be fronted by a ‘maritime plaza’ where re-enactments and and open air events will be staged.
The design was praised by the WAF judges in 2013 for its conceptual clarity. They said the design evoked a strong sense of the maritime experience, brining together "vast collections of elements of China's rich maritime history and offering the visitor references to global maritime cultures". The panel added that they were looking forward to "a realisation that maintains the integrity of the original idea."
The museum complex will cover 80,000sq m (861,000sq ft) and is to be located on an area of park land. Construction cost is estimated at AUS$290m (US$212.3m, €195m, £140.3m) with the exhibition fit-out adding a further AUS$80m (US$58.5m, €53.7m, £38.7m) to the budget.
At this year’s WAF, which took place in Singapore, Bjarke Ingels Group won the Future Project of the Year award for their Vancouver House penthouse development in Canada.
Cox Rayner were again nominated in the category, this time for their design for a new cultural centre in the Australian city of Cairns.
Five shell-like structures will radiate out towards the city’s port harbour Credit: Cox Rayner Architects
The galleries will house exhibits exploring China’s nature and oceans, maritime civilisation and historic vessels Credit: Cox Rayner Architects
RELATED STORIES
Diverse buildings recognised at World Architecture Festival POSTED 06 Nov 2015. BY Alice Davis The industry’s most prestigious awards have been handed out at the World Architecture
Festival, held at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, with OMA and Buro Ole Scheeren's
Interlace housing development in Singapore scooping the top prize of Building of the
Year.
Happy Valley theme park opens in Tianjin, China POSTED 06 Aug 2013. BY Chris Dodd Shenzhen Overseas Chinese Town Co Ltd has opened its sixth theme park, a
new
attraction called Happy Valley, based in the Chinese metropolis of Tianjin.
Banyan Tree Spa opens its first spa in northern China POSTED 19 Jun 2013. BY Aoife Dowling Asian-based spa operator Banyan Tree Spa has debuted in Northern China with the launch of the Spa
at
Banyan Tree Tianjin Riverside.
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confirming the six-million-square-metre site will become a Global Village after the event closes.
The owner of one of Australia's best-known waterparks has acquired a major competitor,
creating a new attractions business spanning two of the country's largest visitor destinations.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme
that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-
day destination.
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