yudian design's repurposed grain mill transforms into serene dongzhuang museum in china

previously built as a grain mill during the 1950’s, yudian design transforms this 800 sqm building into an airy museum of western regions, located in the nanshan grasslands near urumqi city, china.

previously built as a grain mill during the 1950’s, yudian design transforms this 800 sqm building into an airy museum of western regions, located in the nanshan grasslands near urumqi city, china. nestled in the northern chinese wilderness, the dongzhuang building resembles an off-white stone that’s rolled down the mountain, standing serenely and naturally in the open gobi desert. the design respects the framework and ecological diversity of the local wildlife by having a ‘transparent’ presence.

yudian design’s dongzhuang museum of western regions is composed of cement, sand, rebar and glass. the thick walls and small windows protect the interior against the scorching desert sun during the summertime and the coolness in the winter. one of the guiding principles used during the construction of the building was that the designers applied an open space plan in order to maximize the use of natural light as the sun and moon are excellent sources of light.

additionally, each orientation carries a specific characteristic: the northern wall is bolder than the others as it is resistant to strong winds, the eastern façade is completely open to the blue skies overlooking a small river and majestic mountains, the eastern area overlooks the great nanshan grasslands, and finally, the western wall has an open roof where the skylight pours into the museum.