Chengdu Natural History Museum was an invited competition.

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The site is located in the eastern part of the historical and culturally rich city of Chengdu, China. The 62,700-square-meter museum was to include innovative exhibition and educational spaces, permanent, temporary and interactive exhibits, cinemas, and outdoor spaces.

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The design was inspired by the natural geological forms found in the Sichuan Basin. Over time, volcanic activity and shifting tectonic plate movements created horizontal and vertical forces, causing the uplift of the plateau, these forces created forms that are unique to the natural environment of Chengdu.

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The building is conceived of three stratified layers which drive the narrative and experience of the building:

• The Earth - a solid, heavy and geologically carved plinth containing precious fossils and objects

• The Seam - a band of metal which fractures the building creating panoramic views across the city from within

• The Sky - a translucent, sculpted canopy which crowns the building drawing light in through varying sizes of circular apertures