On the shores of Jinji Lake, the Museum of Contemporary Art is a new architectural and cultural landmark in Suzhou. Covering an area of 60,000 square meters, the complex consists of intertwined pavilions and courtyards, in a reinterpretation of the lang, a long covered walkway commonly found in the centuries-old gardens of this Chinese city.

The museum winds its way through twelve pavilions unified under a continuous roof, the gentle undulations of which evoke the eaves of traditional Chinese architecture. Ten of these pavilions are already built, while the remaining two will stretch on toward the lake in 2026. The volumes, clad in curved glass and stainless steel, create a changing visual effect that reflects light and the natural environment.

A large plaza welcomes visitors, marking the main entrance to the complex. Four of the large pavilions house the exhibition galleries, while the rest contain a spacious entrance foyer, a multipurpose hall, an auditorium, and a restaurant overlooking the lake. The pavilions are connected by glazed galleries, porticoes, and tunnels, forming a maze of vegetation, art, and architecture.

The surrounding landscape reinforces the link between the building and its surroundings by means of a sequence of interconnected gardens. Before its official opening in 2026, the museum will partly open with an exhibition curated by BIG, titled ‘Materialism,’ which explores how materials shape the architectural identity of Bjarke Ingels’s studio.