Portal for Japanese minimalist architecture

SANAA, established and led by the Pritzker winners Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa won the International Architecture Design Competition for the Shenzhen Maritime Museum. This architectural practice was selected for their proposal, called “The Cloud on the Ocean.”

The competition was fierce and included over 88 renowned designers from 20 country regions, with only 15 groups being chosen to show their projects. It was organized by the Planning and Natural Resources Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality and Bureau of Public Works of Shenzhen Municipality, aiming to get the best design from the competitors which would suit the maritime facility surrounded by nature.

According to the judges, “The Cloud on the Ocean” was a unique solution because it imagined the facility as a big cloud appearing from the ocean. As such, it would enable the museum to merge into nature, the mountain, and the sea, without disrupting its harmony and beauty.

Kazuyo Seijima and Ryue Nishizawa derived inspiration from the natural elements while also combining them with the local culture, unique site features, etc. Located on the Dapeng Peninsula, approximately 75 km east from the opera house (which was a project for which another office won the competition), the floating, “cloud” will suit perfectly the wonderful geographical location and its elements.

Renderings courtesy of International Architecture Design Competition for the Shenzhen Maritime Museum