Yan Musèu d'Art by Guanyu Tao is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award d'Aur in Arquitectura Competition Category.

AurArquitectura· 2025

Yan Musèu d'Art

by Guanyu Tao

Client: Gerry Tao

A' Design Award d'Aur Winner in Arquitectura Category

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The Design

About Yan Musèu d'Art

Lo Musèu d'Art Yan redefinís la relacion entre arquitectura e natura, servissent coma un centre cultural que celebra lo patrimòni local. Nisat dins lo païsatge rude de Rushan, Shandong, son dessenh deconstructivista s'inspira de las texturas pedrosas e dels contorns fluents. Lo musèu presenta de plaças encercladas per l'aiga, d'estudis d'artistas, de galerias dinamicas e d'espacis de representacion, totes interconnectats a travèrs dels nivèls. Lo concret texturat imita la pèira naturala, integrant sens costura la estructura amb son environament en transformant lo terren en pendent en caminòls e plaças foncionals.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award d'Aur

Yan Musèu d'Art a ganhat la distincion A' Design Award d'Aur, una reconeissença immensament prestigiosa acordada a de designs de primièra qualitat, meravilhoses e excellents. Los ganhaires de l'Aur son de creacions extrèmament innovantas, visionàrias e esbleugissentas, que reflectisson lo prodigi, la sabença e la proeça de lors designers. S'espèra que Yan Musèu d'Art siá una invencion fòrça lausada, que dintra de tendéncias e monumentala, que provesís un valor sens precedent. Aqueste design ganhaire de la distincion A' Design Award d'Aur es un projècte espectaclós e respectat, que fa un grand ben e fa avançar las frontièras de l'art, de la sciéncia, del design e de la tecnologia. Yan Musèu d'Art crea de sentiments intensos de desirs, evòca la passion, encoratja la creativitat e fascina.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Yan Art Museum is a cultural hub that harmonizes architecture with the rugged terrain of Rushan. Unlike traditional museums, it transforms natural slopes into functional elements like pathways, plazas, and viewing platforms. Its dynamic layout fosters interaction between visitors and local artists through integrated studios and galleries. With textured concrete echoing rocky formations, Yan seamlessly blends cultural expression, innovation, and environmental integration.
Dimensions & Packaging: Yan Art Museum is situated on a 2,700-square-meter site, with a total building area of 1,650 square meters distributed across three levels. The first floor features a courtyard-style entrance surrounded by scattered artist studios and galleries, creating an inviting and interactive environment. The second floor includes a small open plaza, a compact gallery space, and essential auxiliary facilities. The third floor houses an open-air theater designed for traditional Chinese performances, providing a cultural focal point while blending seamlessly with the natural terrain.
Tags: Architecture, Subterranean architecture, Rural architecture, Cultural architecture, Museum
Production Technology: Yan employs form board texture reinforced concrete, creating rock-like surfaces while ensuring structural stability during excavation. The design incorporates shallow-rooted plants in the landscaping to safeguard the building's structure and waterproofing. Its three interconnected levels, linked by stairs and elevators, are carefully oriented to harmonize with the site’s layout and ensure accessibility, blending functionality with thoughtful integration into the natural environment.
Design Challenge: Addressing the site's varied slopes was challenging. The design cleverly integrates the natural incline to facilitate plazas and pathways, turning elevation changes into advantageous viewing platforms. This strategic use of the landscape not only enhances functionality but also establishes visual corridors that accentuate the architectural form, allowing the building to blend seamlessly with its environment.
Research: Inspired by the deconstructivism movement and the works of Thom Mayne and Zaha Hadid, Yan Art Museum integrates seamlessly into Rushan’s rugged terrain. The research involved site, cultural, and user analysis, employing techniques such as hand-drawing and collage to explore design possibilities. Tools like Rhinoceros, Adobe Suite, and D5 Render were used to refine the dynamic structure, harmonizing architecture with topography and cultural identity while enhancing visitor experiences.
Inspiration: The design of Yan Art Museum stems from a deep desire to harmonize architecture with nature while engaging in a meaningful dialogue with the local culture of Rushan. Drawing inspiration from the rugged, dramatic landscape of the Rushan mountain range, the museum reflects the stony textures and flowing contours of the region. Through its loosely arranged, courtyard-style layout, the design pays homage to the organic forms of traditional Chinese villages, weaving cultural heritage into its spatial composition. This approach transforms natural and cultural elements into a dynamic hub for artistic and cultural expression. By intertwining natural forms with human creativity, the museum becomes both a tribute to and an extension of its surroundings, celebrating the beauty of the terrain and the spirit of the community it serves.
Project Duration: The concept design was finished in 2024 Sep, with site location at Shandong, Rushan, China.
Operation Flow: Upon entering Yan, visitors arrive at a plaza encircled by a pool and walls, leading to artist studios and the main gallery with rotating exhibits. An elevator and external stairs from the main gallery provide access to the second floor’s L-shaped plaza, which connects to the second gallery for permanent exhibitions. Visitors can ascend to the third floor via elevator or plaza stairs to reach the outdoor amphitheater, a venue for traditional performances.
Patents: Copyrights belong to Guanyu Tao, 2024
Team Members: Guanyu Tao
Image Credits: Image #1: Designer and Photo Rendering Guanyu Tao
Image #2: Designer and Photo Rendering Guanyu Tao
Image #3: Designer and Photo Rendering Guanyu Tao
Image #4: Designer and Photo Rendering Guanyu Tao
Image #5: Designer and Photo Rendering Guanyu Tao