Launching the careers of many renowned Chinese authors over the past five decades, Chengdu is the country’s leading incubator of science fiction writing. Showcasing the city’s contribution to the genre’s evolution and popularity around the world, the Chengdu Science Fiction Museum hosted the World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon) and Hugo Awards, the first time the events have been held in China.

Rethinking The Future Awards 2024
First Award | Cultural (Built)

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Surrounded by mountain ranges and forests, the city of Chengdu has cultivated unique local traditions and culture rooted in its rich history that includes the celestial forms within the carvings and masks of the Bronze Age Sanxingdui civilization. The capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China, Chengdu has grown to over 20 million residents as an important centre of scientific innovation and research.

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The Chengdu Science Fiction Museum is situated in the core area of Jingrong Lake within the Science & Innovation New City of Chengdu’s Pidu District. Integrating with the natural landscapes along the lakeshore, the museum’s design defines nodes of activity connected by pedestrian routes that extend from the city through the surrounding parkland into the heart of the building; creating a journey of discovery that weaves between indoor and outdoor plazas at multiple levels to link the museum’s exhibition galleries, educational facilities, cafes, and other amenities.

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Bringing together programmatic and functional clarity while responding to its unique site conditions, the museum appears to float above from the surface of the lake. The fluid forms of its roof radiate from a central point within, emulating an expanding nebula cloud with a star at its center – transforming the museum into a ‘star cloud’ that disperses energy fields into its many different zones; guiding visitors through a portal that connects our lived experience with our imagination.

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Incorporating maximum flexibility to host the widest variety of exhibitions, conferences and events, the 59,000 sq. m Chengdu Science Fiction Museum includes exhibition galleries, multi-function hall, conference centre and supporting ancillary spaces. The sky-lit central atrium and it’s large window facing the spectacular Xiling Mountain connect the museum’s interiors with their surrounding environment.

Meeting the highest 3-Star standards of China’s Green Building Program, the museum’s design has been developed through detailed digital modelling analysis to maximize efficiencies in composition, site conditions, solar irradiation and structure.

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The museum’s natural hybrid ventilation optimizes Chengdu’s mild subtropical climate to provide comfort for visitors and staff throughout the year while photovoltaics within the museum’s large roof canopy contribute to meeting the building’s energy demands.

Landscaped with plants native to the region, the park surrounding the museum collects and stores rainwater for natural filtration and reuse, enabling Jingrong Lake to become a n integral part of Chengdu’s sustainable drainage system that will mitigate flooding and increase biodiversity throughout the city.