In a Chinese garden, the Shede culture museum stands out
It rises from a circular garden pond, OPEN ArchitectureThe culture museum of Shede reached the top of Shehong, China. The project is expected to be completed in 2027 and will mark a new threshold for a distillery along the Fu River.
The project occupies a peripheral site that has long remained underutilized despite its proximity to the main entrance. OPEN identifies this edge condition as an opportunity. THE museum draws visitors into a landscape that bridges production and public life and uses land and water to create a tranquil arrival experience.
visualizations © OPEN Architecture
A built landscape of ponds and islands
At the center of the Shede Culture Museum is a 90m circular lake, which group in OPEN Architecture inserts into the existing garden. Its geometry creates a continuous field without corners, where a covered corridor traces the perimeter as a translucent ring.
Within this water surface, three volumes appear as distinct shapes. Their placement follows the classic principle of One Pond, Three Mountains, translating a historic garden composition into a contemporary architectural system. Mist and the gentle movement of the water enliven the surface, introducing changes in the atmosphere during the day.
the Shede Culture Museum is located in the East Garden of a distillery in Shehong, China
three buildings, three material expressions
Each of the three buildings of the Shede Culture Museum engages the lake in a different way. OPEN Architecture designs one in a volume that hovers above the surface, while one sits within it and one extends below, looking slightly above the waterline.
These volumes are defined by material. The glass box is wrapped in a thin veil of flowing water that continuously runs down its facades and circulates underneath. The Earth Box is formed from local yellow soil using rammed earth construction, with direct reference to the fermentation pits used in the production of alcoholic beverages. The Bronze Box is lined with perforated panels whose designs encode verses for the spirits in Morse code, introducing a layer of text embedded in the facade.
three volumes engage the water differently by floating, touching or extending below the surface
Movement between water and casing
Visitors move across bridges and through the volumes, alternating between enclosed galleries and open views of the lake. The sequence of spaces shifts between darker interiors and brighter passages, guided by changes in light and reflection.
Below the waterline, the buildings are connected in a continuous interior. This lower level houses theatre, rehearsal space and support functions, allowing the above-ground volumes to remain visually distinct. The separation between what is seen above and what is connected below shapes a reading of the museum as fragmented and unified.
a circular pond of 90 meters defines the project and organizes the movement through water and land
Material time and environmental systems
The choice of clay, glass and bronze links the architecture to the Shede spirit making processes. Each material has a different temporal quality. Rammed Earth records soil compaction and weathering. Copper surfaces develop a patina over time. Water flowing into the glass introduces constant change.
Environmental strategies are integrated into the design. A ground source heat pump system works with thermal water storage to regulate the temperature. Solar panels on the Bronze Box contribute energy, while air source heat pumps support the hot water supply. Rainwater is collected and reused, and water drawn from the Fu River, already part of the distillery’s operations, feeds the pond system.
below the lake, the volumes connect to common spaces, including a theater and supporting spaces
