![Maritime Museum by gmp Architekten](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rYjiIKYq-jhfcHeSynoksJpr1PzYhRN1kfUgQQkbmXj4a7nDxO7dIR7g8q3dtZN4O-ct75RJQpujx9eAi8GWeHv3JrUGCcjkSWyWeHM6n5gvFZcHIYF9xEYzcKRjQ5ZoPfnc2igoPkXa/s6000-rw-rw/Maritime+Museum+by+gmp+Architekten01.jpg)
China’s first ever Maritime Museum is situated on the shore of a five square kilometer artificial lake that has been reclaimed from the Sea.
![Maritime Museum by gmp Architekten](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw8K7s2mK4adS4GoXWzJQ_HyWsSvaQpAkzkT0WUO7BuzoJQknOhLEwBxnI914zZg-InUzy02Ur7OPSlWQr9cWbQVfEN2NPFQEHbLGQmsDnML3_5H15fb2_cNvjoxDrNOZb92VKfRmyQl1E/s6000-rw-rw/Maritime+Museum+by+gmp+Architekten02.jpg)
The 46,400 m² large museum, intended to house an exhibition on China’s naval history, lies in the middle of Lingang New City approximately 60 km south of Shanghai.
![Maritime Museum by gmp Architekten](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZoqYTkWn_hgP__dRwaKsfn7-RSzskVYEbf70cS8als7RCt6OXbDF56hLjXUnuDmNjzRDeWi4LfdMlRQp-Uu4CY2aLLpR294oLpmhNjoexGGTKm0rFK2LCBdhyphenhyphenZqRE6XuTDtLUJe3IfyU2/s6000-rw-rw/Maritime+Museum+by+gmp+Architekten05.jpg)
This new city development of 800,000 inhabitants has also been conceived by Meinhard von Gerkan, a design that goes back to 2002. In perfect symmetry, two parallel four-storey high wings define the rectilinear plan and the functional layout of the museum quarters.
![Maritime Museum by gmp Architekten](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8CTXI_4LB0XK1uQzRt0Xun-WoMgsTxVaP8rdCn3zqsx1Xryrw6EbjO_WrwRwN9UdBJO4B08FbiBitqPjTU1BaQISNAcluBrGxcw0N6ZAoE7BrjcMG5Oq9AQZXrqnaiE9i7cs1_boQVVlV/s6000-rw-rw/Maritime+Museum+by+gmp+Architekten03.jpg)
The museum is organized around a raised courtyard on a one storey high pedestal in which all the functions of the museum are accommodated. From the land and the waterfront side large sweeping staircases lead up to the pedestal.
![Maritime Museum by gmp Architekten](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnpbLEzw64EjuuNAFAbdsasjCVY_SpFRX1CTqIR8QXiPd2Fo6Dugx92zbZMrgPailNrG0uVsBvXaBDwb-FJD3sUMInu3W6AofyiGFA-Dd0X07lzM2qtjChQC5T8sxeeQocnoPpouYmHdXD/s6000-rw-rw/Maritime+Museum+by+gmp+Architekten04.jpg)
The rectilinear geometry of the façade design, the arcades and the "air-beams" – all clad in a light-grey granite – literally harbours the museum on the lake shore. The analogy of a ship in a port is developed further in the abstract symbolism of the two "sails" located almost in the middle of the museum square.
![Maritime Museum by gmp Architekten](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUr9x1ajIg3-TC_wxYL5IDsWRI7tuIbUgYTB8jGUm_8ckrFEHu04nHpG0r7NFORaMVmbID2n3V6DoKgjrdhLsXgKSlAjckabLCbttjjzkkFXQ_Gm_7veaOVzmIAXZ3XERRkCBwpwq_E1j/s6000-rw-rw/Maritime+Museum+by+gmp+Architekten06.jpg)
The 58 m tall grid shells lean against each other and touching only at one intersection point approximately 40 m above ground. This masterpiece of engineering allows the two-way curved "sails" to rest on only two base points, approximately 70 m apart.
![Maritime Museum by gmp Architekten](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYkVc_fD7pTLwn0iORUyvNxAmh19J4VlVlj9zUfGvUqLe93wSMBLcFs6000-rwZkDmA6kPo3nG8uOKgXRK4UyzZOoj7NsTaBtLE1fS0LvvQTucWbgDNHGTUyyK4sNek2pzVO0WfdZyVRFLfBZd6/s1555-rw/Maritime+Museum+by+gmp+Architekten07.jpg)
Like a huge fishing net, a pre-tensioned cable net structure clad in glass forms the façade between these two "sails". The enormous cathedral like interior space allows the display of a fully rigged junk.
![Maritime Museum by gmp Architekten](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8u5YiiEoNgKECGI-Bl06u8kckVYuyiZfJAF5-sQY5kcFpx2K4a2LL7iffOZWtoc0Sv1NVdDQ0Taa4GRQV9UrjGrnNCqfsYLuvbM31r_hX121pUVNTIfUq3DKeYjy6D02NfHiOt0wgJgn/s6000-rw-rw/Maritime+Museum+by+gmp+Architekten08.jpg)
In the flat coastal topography the Maritime Museum can be spotted for miles due to its expressive silhouette – a feature that will undoubtedly make it one of the most successful landmarks of Lingang New City.
![Maritime Museum by gmp Architekten](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXftMGo2QYFJknvU7zQukebixfuARoBIl3qJKjUQEujSzWgIMnQOOihqq4N_jHrxJN4PgUup7JMEDFpo4GEUuMoJTPbGs9uXascfTURDLO1gPLPM9VSUIKD5HamN3GL6Yt8Evc4Qai5Iwc/s6000-rw-rw/Maritime+Museum+by+gmp+Architekten10.jpg)
![Maritime Museum by gmp Architekten](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEVVPbBULiOHytZwxmqtVp40C3iWah5xVqA9FludPUfJ9SNegBH5u_NWgzpI0kwC-xjRBZd6TbARCC6qN8tG84AJZnne808pNO07oXRzcLrytaAbTqQrp9lsACLWcNCtHUD_KLa6qHdGkV/s6000-rw-rw/Maritime+Museum+by+gmp+Architekten09.jpg)
![Maritime Museum by gmp Architekten](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXmxqaSQD6jYT5VoVO0yHIFhmSc7rwwisJ6TmOMhw5ZJlAvGYefX8Vf68DYxibSaur_PrzQU-gG5KTTOBqIZAv8weia8vm1dicov6VojFOWoGMf40ODCAnwOPZSIRIShhnK9qd1Z-K2-IW/s6000-rw-rw/Maritime+Museum+by+gmp+Architekten12.jpg)
![Maritime Museum by gmp Architekten](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7_Tu3Ney8h0zcUunS-N0lQ27XziJLWmiUvC2dsXJzDiDDwxc_DoHAaxb0BsFFTwYTEEUJKlAnPsy5_S_LRLHbjJ4h9k4-lyEt28l-2Zjd6RyzrS6ThYGBD2X7KM4ZXIjV11VKqRR2KYK6/s6000-rw-rw/Maritime+Museum+by+gmp+Architekten11.jpg)
![Maritime Museum by gmp Architekten](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg11xT3oVmck1fAE82Be45UjWBPaD6UOg-OUIqMmeqwQDPci_PvOe_WT8geByr1HoCJVB7rx6eX1nDTvHR8qERePLqL44i8nxWQqGULXBZn9HoppLZKHulbXhg3xjYl5Hnc-v301-p1C4R7/s6000-rw-rw/Maritime+Museum+by+gmp+Architekten14.jpg)
![Maritime Museum by gmp Architekten](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjfEz6aojVGXh-w1l2sRhfq7zSrGbq-VVPh_kPcsrItPOAEKCILLOF14tgaOGXb08KgBFpa0MNogsX9PUU9B5PbvwkyzXLhfcIM1TMWSKvd5L2NGQsbhDB9HCR64s_xYDVURKCGL8u20Gi/s6000-rw-rw/Maritime+Museum+by+gmp+Architekten13.jpg)
![Maritime Museum by gmp Architekten](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07Ngzstiz-nEQ33sThF5uuRWvfHOvvYuUd_UNy7fKL6OJ6HQMdMoG4INYtvMuL0FD9ssMYVzVKuLt7YT5T1s6000-rwRBJnrsX8iX1qUEUVRNBoRzVRl-Ioov_DhOsBr2hkAd_3HalIPRsrzTj/s1555-rw/Maritime+Museum+by+gmp+Architekten16.jpg)
![Maritime Museum by gmp Architekten](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhlgwheWZm9m-gmRmKg_0kY3wFovA5DNsINlJTeYLMgrSrMPztXKNQZlAu9muRMPJtpY-4OCaT7OvOiikR6v5Qyii0YElYzvLJS5WTnfkNdn7gIki6rrhKIAqDvo3Qc-wfuiWy16Ega1S/s6000-rw-rw/Maritime+Museum+by+gmp+Architekten15.jpg)
Location: Lingang New City, China Architect: gmpArchitekten Design: Meinhard von Gerkan Partner: Nikolaus Goetze Project managers: Klaus Lenz, Marcus Tanzen Design Team: Richard Sprenger, Elena Melnikova, Ben Grope, Markus Carlsen Project Team: Richard Sprenger, Eazy Lin, Jens Reichert, Birgit Föllmer, Udo Meyer Structural engineering: Werner Sobek Chinese partner practice: SIADR Gross floor area: 46,400 m² Year: 2009 Client: Shanghai Harbour City Investment Co. Photographers: gmp/Julia Ackermann