New Design for the Sanxingdui Site Museum Building

The design of the new Sanxingdui Museum is inspired by “ Stacked三星, the Eyes of Ancient Shu "Based on this core concept, the project dissolves its massive volume into three stacked forms, echoing the name 'Sanxingdui.' Through expansive glass curtain walls, it creates the 'Eye of Ancient Shu,' symbolizing a gaze from modern architecture toward the ancient civilization below. The project is led by..." China Southwest Architectural Design Institute Design, Liu Yi Serving as the chief architect, it was completed and opened in July 2023 and is currently the largest single-structure museum dedicated to archaeological sites in Southwest China.

• Total floor area: 54,400 square meters

• Exhibition area: 22,000 square meters

• Exhibited Cultural Relics: More than 1,500 items (sets) , featuring nearly 600 cultural relics making their debut.

Logical reasoning premise A (verified: The museum must showcase artifacts featuring prominent "eye" motifs, such as bronze masks and masks with protruding eyes) + premise B (verified: The architect aims to establish a dialogue between the modern and the ancient) ↓ [Reasoning process: Transforming the abstract concepts of "gaze" and "dialogue" into concrete architectural form language] Conclusion C: The building facade features expansive glass curtain walls and bronze sunshades, creating the imagery of the "Ancient Shu Eye."
Premise D (verified: the site was originally farmland, lacking significant topographical undulations) + Premise E (verified: it’s necessary to reduce the oppressive sense created by the massive volume, echoing the imagery of "piles") ↓ [Reasoning process: Dispersing the centralized volume into several smaller, landscape-integrated blocks] Conclusion F: The architecture features three continuous sloped structures that seamlessly integrate with the natural landscape.

Detailed Design Analysis

1. Form and Image ：

• Three undulating, rolling mounds mimic the fragments of unearthed pottery, while also echoing the rise of the earth itself—cleverly softening their imposing scale and harmoniously blending with the natural landscape of the archaeological site.

• The massive glass curtain wall on the south facade, combined with the intricate, hollowed-out bronze sunshade panels behind it, forms a profound "eye" that gazes inward at history during the day and radiates golden light outward at night—becoming an iconic symbol representing the ancient Shu civilization.

2.   Space and Flow ：

• Internal space revolves around “ Spacetime Spiral “And” and “ Spatial Rift "Expanding on the two core concepts."

• Spacetime Spiral :A vast, ring-shaped, double-height space creates an immersive roaming experience, guiding visitors to traverse up and down while feeling the flow and continuity of civilization.

• Spatial Rift :A linear light strip running through the public area metaphorically represents the "exploration squares" of an archaeological excavation, effectively addressing the lighting challenges in this large-span space while enhancing the narrative quality of the environment.

3.   Materials and Technology ：

• The exterior walls are made of Natural granite , with a rich, solid, and weighty texture that mimics the feel of loess plateaus.

• "The 'Eyes of Ancient Shu'—the sunshade system behind it is made by Punched panel made of bronze Made with patterns inspired by the Sanxingdui cultural relics, it combines cultural symbolism, sun-shading energy efficiency, and dynamic lighting effects.

References: 1. China Southwest Architectural Design and Research Institute. (2023). The New Sanxingdui Museum Officially Opens to the Public. 2. Xinhua News Agency. (2023). Sanxingdui Museum’s New Building Welcomes Visitors. 3. ArchDaily. (2023). Construction Begins on the New Site for the Sanxingdui Museum. 4. CCTV News. (2023). Sanxingdui Museum’s New Facility Enters Trial Operation. 5. People’s Government of Sichuan Province. (2023). The New Sanxingdui Museum Officially Opens.