architectural photographer paulo dos sousa has documented the ryue nishizawa-designed jining art museum, which recently opened in china?s shandong province. the images not only illustrate the main museum building, which contains exhibition halls, a library, and offices, but also two additional structures: a café and a pergola. intented to exist in harmony with the neighboring museum, the smaller café has been designed in the same style, while the pergola takes the form of an elevated fluid canopy that weaves its way around the site?s existing trees.

image © paulo dos sousa (also main image)
 
 
paulo dos sousa?s images show the museum in its context, situated next to a lake on the outskirts of the city and surrounded by trees and other vegetation. in order to integrate the museum into this context, japanese architect ryue nishizawa proposed a single-story building with a large organically-shaped roof. below, exhibition galleries are complemented by a library, offices, and other back-of-house facilities.
image © paulo dos sousa
 
 
arranged around a centrally positioned open-air courtyard, the jining art museum?s indoor spaces are connected by glass corridors, semi-outdoor areas, and external plazas ? all of which allow internal activities to spill out into the surrounding environment. meanwhile, nishizawa?s use of glass ensures that the building is bright and transparent with natural light and views ensuring a direct connection with the outside world.

image © p...