Gold Architecture, Building and Structure Design · 2020
Samaranch Memorial Museum
by Archiland
- A' Design Award 2020 Gold Winner in Architecture, Building and Structure Design
- Awarded April 15, 2020
- CLIENT: Archiland
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 24,810
- Verification code AD1EFEA68C · Verify this award
About Samaranch Memorial Museum
Samaranch Memorial is a museum built to commemorate Samaranch and to present the Olympic spirit. The design is derived from the five Olympic rings. Two intersecting circles form the main building, while three further circles become sunken courtyards that hold additional sporting spaces. The infinity shaped form contains a ramping loop that links the entrance, exhibition areas, roof gardens and service functions in one sequence. The memorial also includes a lecture hall, a temporary exhibition hall and a winter garden. Daylight was studied in detail to reduce energy use.
Archiland's Samaranch Memorial Museum emerges as a distinguished exemplar of contemporary memorial architecture, participating in a rich tradition of cultural institutions that employ elemental geometric forms to convey timeless significance and civic aspiration. The elliptical drum form—one of architecture's most enduring volumetric expressions—references classical precedents from the Pantheon's rotunda to Hadrian's mausoleum while achieving a distinctly twenty-first-century material refinement through its precisely articulated concrete or stone envelope. The design demonstrates sophisticated compositional intelligence in its orchestration of approach sequence: the serpentine water channel and radiating pavement patterns establish a contemplative processional that slows the visitor's pace and heightens awareness of the threshold moment between everyday urbanism and the elevated realm of cultural commemoration. The facade's rhythmic fenestration pattern suggests the columns of a peristyle abstracted into a continuous wrapper, creating a permeable boundary that mediates between interior exhibition spaces and the surrounding landscape. The cantilevered horizontal element at the podium level establishes a welcoming gesture of shelter while maintaining visual transparency through extensive glazing. The landscape integration appears thoughtfully considered, with the young trees promising future canopy and the water feature introducing elemental reflection as both practical cooling strategy and symbolic presence. The chromatic restraint—predominantly neutral warm and cool grays enlivened by landscape greens and the incidental human figure in warm coral—reinforces the building's dignified institutional character while avoiding somber austerity. The motion-blurred figure skating through the plaza suggests that this memorial space successfully accommodates both reverential contemplation and joyful everyday activity, achieving that difficult balance between commemorative gravitas and civic vitality. Viewers might consider how architecture shapes our experience of memory and how elemental forms transcend cultural boundaries to communicate universal values of aspiration and remembrance.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- The Samaranch Memorial is designed to commemorate Samaranch and spread the Olympic spirit. It presents the image of the five rings of the Olympic Games. An infinity shaped building form contains a ramping loop and creates a natural flow sequence of entrance, exhibition, roof gardens and servicing functions in one generous gesture. Sunken county yards integrate additional sporting spaces that all in all celebrate both the legacy and life of today using highest level of smart energy design.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Samaranch Memorial covers an area of 14 hectares, with a building area of 17,800 square meters
- Tags
- Samaranch, Olympic spirit, Sports, Sustainable,Memorial
- Production Technology
- Considering land form and project features, we present a theme park with multi dimension experiences. We put much effort on landmark building design and public space design and create an experience space. Functional space is put in place according to exhibition sequence. Roof garden has become a nature transition between interior and external space. Landscape and architecture are integration of traditional Chinese and western style with different space feelings every step you are forward.
- Design Challenge
- The biggest challenge is how to reduce energy consumption. At the beginning of the design, we decided to use as much natural light as possible for design. We calculated the position and intensity of sunlight entering the courtyard and indoor windows, and performed simulation experiments on thermal load, glass surface orientation and position to obtain the most economical and efficient solution, which will save more than 84% of energy, and also makes temperature and lighting more suitable.
- Project Duration
- The project started in 2011 in Tianjin and finished in 2013 in Tianjin, China
- Operation Flow
- The building should grow with people and the environment. The supporting commercial buildings are integrated into the landscape to protect the overall natural landscape and form a large and varied experience space. In addition to showing the collection of Mr. Samaranch's life, the memorial also has a lecture hall, temporary exhibition hall, winter garden, etc., which can be used to hold various conferences, seminars, exhibitions and other activities.
- Research
- In order to balance his own present mind and has a need for commemorating time event and people passed to understand his own present and future condition, Challenge is how to avoid the exhibit and content itself not becoming outdated and rather constantly renewing the perspective to our ever changing present. In other words, how to extend a legacy of the modern Olympics only into a life celebrating institution as Olympics.
- Inspiration
- The original intention is to build a green building that commemorates Mr. Samaranch, inherits the Olympic spirit, expresses sports and sustainable. It was transformed through the five Olympic rings: the main building presents two intersecting circles, and the other three circles transform into a sunken courtyard. The "8" shape commemorates the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The "S" shape stands for "Samaranch"; the third is that the shape symbolizes Infinity and eternity.
- Image Credits
- Video: Dans Digital
Photo：Yan Chen