Main
Content
The Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) is pleased to announce the successful completion of the museum building, with interior construction and gallery fitting-out close to completion. The museum is expected to open to the public in mid-2022.
HKPM is located at the western tip of the West Kowloon Cultural District along the Victoria Harbour waterfront. Designed by acclaimed Hong Kong-based Rocco Design Architects Associates, the seven-storey building covers a site area of 13,000 sqm with a total floor area of approximately 30,000 sqm, featuring an exhibition space of 7,800 sqm across nine galleries. HKPM embodies the aesthetics of traditional Chinese architecture executed with modern architectural techniques in both its interior and exterior designs, while resonating with the rich architecture and culture of the Forbidden City.
Spatial design inspired by “central axis” configuration of Forbidden City
The exterior design of the HKPM is inspired by Chinese art objects with fine details, simple contour and elegant form. The building is wide at the top and compact at the base as a way to effectively use the space. The east and west facades have a sloping design that opens up space for the Museum Plaza, where members of the public can relax or gather for art and cultural activities. The sloping facades also offer eco-friendly functions including energy conservation, heat insulation and sound absorption, helping to reduce the impact of noise generated by activities in the vicinity.
One of the key architectural highlights of the HKPM building is the “vertical central axis” concept, inspired by the central axis of the Forbidden City. Leveraging HKPM’s excellent location alongside Hong Kong’s stunning harbourfront, the architects have connected the museum’s floors vertically through three atriums, each facing in a different direction, along the central axis across the ground, second and fourth floors. The atriums connect the different floors on which the nine galleries are located, guiding visitors to move upwards. The three atriums offer sweeping vistas over the West Kowloon Cultural District, the iconic skyline of Hong Kong Island and Lantau Island respectively, allowing visitors to experience the perfect harmony created between the museum building and its surroundings.
The palette of the HKPM building also pays homage to the Forbidden City. Beige gold is the dominant colour, complemented by dark reds and cool greys. The museum’s interior is mostly light grey, while the Forbidden City's signature crimson red is employed in focal points such as the museum’s main entrance and gallery entrances.
A prominent interior feature is the beige-gold ceiling in the form of tidal curves – a contemporary interpretation of the glazed roof tiles on top of the grand palaces inside the Forbidden City. The translucent ceiling resembles a bamboo or gauze curtain, giving the space a sense of poetry and ethereal feel. The second and third floors of the museum are connected by the South Atrium stairway that provides an ideal space for visitors to rest or participate in small-scale performances or lectures.
Protecting the priceless treasures, a top priority at HKPM
HKPM houses nine galleries which, upon opening, will present more than 900 priceless treasures loaned from the Palace Museum, along with important objects on loan from other cultural institutions in Hong Kong, and new works by Hong Kong contemporary artists inspired by the rich culture of the Forbidden City. Protecting these precious works is a top priority at the HKPM. With the highest professional standards, the museum follows the best practices in conservation and climate control. For instance, the temperature for the galleries and storages is set at 20±2°C with the relative humidity at 55±5% to provide the optimal environment for artworks.
The museum is equipped with more than 200 world-class display cases for the display and protection of treasures from the Palace Museum and elsewhere. These cases are custom made for HKPM by Goppion, a manufacturer based in Milan, Italy, which produced the special display case for the iconic work Mona Lisa at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
Betty Fung, Chief Executive Officer of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, said: “We are immensely proud to have completed the Hong Kong Palace Museum within five years from its official kick-off, design, construction to opening. As the National 14th Five-Year Plan sets out clear support for Hong Kong to develop into an East-meets-West Centre for International Cultural Exchange, the completion of HKPM marks an important milestone for the West Kowloon Cultural District to realise this vision. The museum is poised to become an iconic international cultural landmark in Hong Kong and a platform for dialogue among world cultures and civilisations, offering a unique East-meets-West cultural experience for visitors.”
Dr Louis Ng, Museum Director, Hong Kong Palace Museum, said: “We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Palace Museum for giving us full support and for loaning HKPM more than 900 precious artworks for the opening exhibition. We would like to thank the Hong Kong Jockey Club for its generous donations and also acknowledge the great effort made by the various parties involved in this monumental project over the past five years. We look forward to welcoming visitors from Hong Kong, Mainland China and around the world to this magnificent and elegant museum, to view the Palace Museum’s art treasures and explore the splendour of Chinese culture spanning more than 5,000 years.”
Rocco Yim, Executive Director of Rocco Design Architects Associates, said: “We are honoured to have participated in the design of HKPM. The museum employs contemporary architectural language to articulate Hong Kong’s unique East-meets-West cosmopolitan culture as well as emphasising the importance of public spaces and enhancing interactions among visitors. With a design that resonates with the Forbidden City, while triggering visitors’ imagination of the Palace Museum culture through different details, we hope the building will encourage visitors to immerse themselves in the fascinating magnanimity of the Palace Museum at the same time as experiencing an exceptional cultural atmosphere and unique museum experience.”
The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and the Palace Museum signed the Collaboration Agreement on the development of HKPM on 29 June 2017. Construction of the HKPM commenced in March 2019 and the works were completed in December 2021.
The HKPM is expected to open to the public in mid-2022. The museum comprises nine galleries designed for thematic and special exhibitions. Five of the nine galleries will host exhibitions introducing various aspects of the fascinating history and culture of the Palace Museum through exceptional works from its collection. Two other galleries will feature Chinese art collections in Hong Kong along with multimedia installations from Hong Kong artists inspired by palace culture. The final two galleries are devoted to large-scale special exhibitions, presenting the finest and rarest Chinese paintings and calligraphic works from the Palace Museum and artworks that highlight the significance of the horse in Chinese and world cultures respectively. Other facilities of the HKPM include indoor and outdoor public spaces, a museum shop, restaurants, an auditorium and activity rooms.
Remarks
About the Hong Kong Palace Museum
The Hong Kong Palace Museum aspires to become a leading cultural institution committed to the study and appreciation of Chinese art and culture, while advancing dialogue among world civilisations. The Hong Kong Palace Museum is a collaborative project between the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority and the Palace Museum, which is funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club with a donation of HK$3.5 billion for its establishment.
Embracing new curatorial approaches, the museum offers a Hong Kong perspective and a global vision, presenting the finest objects from the Palace Museum and other important cultural institutions around the world. Through research, exhibitions, and educational and professional exchange programmes, the museum will build international partnerships and help position Hong Kong as a global hub for arts and culture. At heart a resource that belongs to the community of Hong Kong, the museum will inspire community engagement, foster dialogue, and promote creativity and interdisciplinary collaboration.
About the West Kowloon Cultural District
The West Kowloon Cultural District is one of the largest and most ambitious cultural projects in the world. Its vision is to create a vibrant new cultural quarter for Hong Kong on 40 hectares of reclaimed land located alongside Victoria Harbour. With a varied mix of theatres, performance spaces and museums, the West Kowloon Cultural District will produce and host world-class exhibitions, performances and cultural events, providing 23 hectares of public open space, including a two-kilometre waterfront promenade.
Editorial
- Log in to post comments