Simple Art Museum

ⓒ Fangfang Tian

 

The Simple Art Museum is a contemporary art space that explores the reflections of artists on society and the environment. Located in a region renowned for its distinctive Hui-style architecture, the museum features iconic elements—roofs, gables, columns, and gardens—that convey the area's rich cultural significance.

Architects Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee, founding principals of HAS Design and Research, present a fresh cultural vision through their innovative design. Drawing inspiration from Anhui’s traditional architectural forms, they reinterpret elements such as roofs and gables, transforming them into a contemporary space where the human spirit and social interaction converge. The design extends the essence of the Hui-style village, featuring a floating, undulating roof that evolves from the inward-facing, fireproof gable into a symbolic structure that opens outward to embrace the public. This continuous form creates a seamless indoor environment for artistic expression, housing art exhibitions, galleries, workshops, multimedia rooms, design salons, and cafés. The architecture flows effortlessly into the interior’s curving walls, offering a graceful translation of tradition into modernity.

Situated near the Nanfei River—often referred to as the "Mother River of Hefei"—the museum draws inspiration from the rippling waters that have shaped the region for millennia. Hung And Songkittipakdee (HAS) ingeniously capture this fluidity in their design, with curved walls and a wave-like roof that mirror the river’s natural rhythm. As sunlight filters through in the afternoon, the building becomes a living reflection of the Nanfei’s shimmering surface—an abstract masterpiece in itself. By day, the museum’s roof casts broad shadows across the external plaza, providing visitors with a space to pause and reflect. By night, the museum glows from within, serving as a beacon of belonging in the shifting urban landscape.

The Simple Art Museum is a place where architecture invites wonder, where past and present converge in a timeless dance. Architects Jenchieh Hung and Kulthida Songkittipakdee have crafted a building that not only houses art but also awakens a deep curiosity for beauty. It embodies a cross-generational spirit, connecting tradition and contemporary culture amidst the concrete city.

 

ⓒ W Workspace

ⓒ W Workspace

ⓒ W Workspace

ⓒ W Workspace

ⓒ W Workspace

ground floor plan

second floor plan

 

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건축가 HAS design and research

위치 China, Hefei

대지면적 600m²

연면적 1,150m²

준공 2024

대표건축가 Jenchieh Hung, Kulthida Songkittipakdee

디자인팀 Jenchieh Hung, Kulthida Songkittipakdee, Atithan Pongpitak

구조컨설턴트 Zaiwei Song

시공 Guangdong Xingyi Decoration Group Anhui Co., Ltd

조경 Weili Yang

조명 Jenna Tsailin Liu

조명기술 Visual Feast (VF)

사진작가 W Workspace, Fangfang Tian