BIG provides closing touches to Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art
Nearing completion, the Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art by Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) emerges on the banks of Jinji Lake. Designed in collaboration with ARTS Group and Front Inc., and commissioned by Suzhou Harmony Development Group, the 60,000-square-meter complicated (discover designboom’s earlier protection right here) is envisioned as a recent reinterpretation of Suzhou’s historic gardens.
The construction unfolds as a village of twelve interconnected pavilions unified beneath a flowing, ribbon-like roof whose light undulations echo tiled eaves. As the constructing approaches its closing section, it paves the best way for Materialism, an inaugural exhibition curated by BIG set to open forward of the museum’s official debut in 2026.
photos by Ye Jianyuan and Studio SZ Photo
fluid community of pavilions evokes backyard heritage
Rooted within the cultural identification of Suzhou, BIG’s design attracts from the normal lang (廊), an extended, coated hall that guides guests by way of Chinese gardens, reworking it right into a fluid community of exhibition areas, courtyards, and walkways. ‘Suzhou is the cradle of the Chinese garden,’ notes Bjarke Ingels, describing the museum as ‘a garden of pavilions and courtyards’ the place structure and panorama intertwine. Glazed galleries and porticoes hyperlink the buildings collectively in what Ingels calls ‘a Chinese knot of interconnected sculpture courtyards and exhibition spaces.’ Seen from above, the chrome steel roofs ripple throughout the positioning like a residing organism, their light curves tracing a silhouette that connects town to the lake.
The architects mirror the altering colours of the sky and waters on warm-toned chrome steel and curved glass facades. Inside the museum, daylight filters by way of clerestories and skylights, creating reflections and shadows throughout the galleries. Four of the twelve pavilions comprise the primary exhibition halls, whereas the remaining areas host a multifunction corridor, theater, restaurant, and grand entrance space. Bridges and tunnels weave between the buildings above and under floor, giving the museum versatile circulation and climatic adaptability. Outside, a sequence of gardens extends the customer journey towards the lake, the place sculpture installations and public paths stay open past museum hours.
the Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art by BIG emerges on the banks of Jinji Lake
materialism: a prelude to the museum’s opening
For BIG companion Catherine Huang, the undertaking is a tribute to Suzhou’s enduring relationship between structure and panorama. ‘We envision the lang, a traditional element of Suzhou gardens, gracefully winding through the landscapes and transforming into pavilions,’ she explains. The museum follows China’s GBEL Green Star 2 sustainability certification, addressing technical and social dimensions of environmental design. In 2024, Suzhou MoCA was acknowledged as a nationwide landmark when it appeared on an official China Post stamp celebrating town’s city improvement round Jinji Lake.
Before its full opening in 2026, Materialism will invite guests on a ‘material odyssey,’ tracing the story of human progress by way of stone, glass, metallic, plastic, and recycled matter. Framing this exhibition inside a panorama of sunshine, reflection, and interwoven paths, the nearing completion of Suzhou MoCA marks a second of continuity.
the construction unfolds as a village of twelve interconnected pavilions
a flowing roof whose light undulations echo tiled eaves tops the museum
BIG’s design attracts from the normal lang (廊)
a fluid community of exhibition areas, courtyards, and walkways