The Dongzhuang Museum is indeed located in the "western regions" of China, in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region bordering Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia, etc. The nearest city (30 km) is Urumqi, from where many tourists come to the so-called Nanshan pastures in the foothills of the Tien Shan - to admire the mountains, forests, meadows and waterfalls, to get acquainted with the life of the Kazakh nomads living there. It was there, in the Baiyangou area, that the museum was built.
The architects compare their structure with a stone that has rolled down from the mountains; it took the place of a long-destroyed barn, and the numerous apple trees, narrow-leaved elm and elm trees that grew nearby were first transplanted to a safe place, and then returned to the previous one, that is, they tried to minimize the impact on the environment. Natural lighting (not only sunlight, but also moonlight) and ventilation are widely used.
The museum consists of two parts: a guest apartment with a private art gallery and a public area where travelers can relax. At the same time, the space is deliberately indefinite, without clearly defined floors, like the design method chosen by the authors. In their opinion, this region has long been built in this way, following the need, local capabilities and tradition, the natural context, and not demonstrating wealth and technical innovations. The northern facade of the museum, facing the desert, is thicker than others, protecting it from winds and sandstorms. The rest of the sides allow you to admire the scenery of Nanshan and follow the daily life of the inhabitants of the surrounding village through the windows, from the courtyard or through the glazing in the roof, which can be opened if desired. Under this window is an atrium with landscaping.
Local craftsmen took part in the construction; the rough texture of the concrete is reminiscent of popular buildings, and traditional brickwork and floor tiles are also used.
