Huanglong Mountain · Zisha Ore Source Museum
The project is situated in Dingshu Town, Yixing—renowned as the “Pottery Capital”—and is deeply rooted in the local ceramic tradition that spans over 7,300 years. The site adjoins Huanglong Mountain, an area rich in sedimentary clay deposits with geological origins tracing back to the Devonian period. Systematic human understanding and exploitation of its ore veins commenced as early as the 10th to 12th centuries.
The planning reorganizes the site’s memory through a clear sequence: a north-south axis links the Juntao Ceramics Research Institute, the dragon kiln, the No. 4 mining pit heritage site, and the museum; an east-west axis integrates the natural hills, urban public open space, and ecological woodland. The design traverses historical and geographical layers, shaping a composite field that merges geological heritage, traditional craft industry, and contemporary public life.
Guided by the principle of “architecture-environment integration,” the design transforms the mining heritage area into an open-air exhibition space that extends from the hall. The facade plays a pivotal role: it is clad in glazed ceramic tiles specially produced using the local Juntao technique. The kiln-transformed iridescent glazes and distinctive textures create richly layered visual effects under changing light, while offering a tactile quality upon closer view, allowing the building’s skin to engage deeply with the local ceramic culture in a contemporary context.
In its massing, the building follows the sloping terrain, stepping down in layers to harmonize with the hilly landscape. The exhibition layout unfolds along a spiraling descending path, extending from three above-ground galleries down to an underground space that simulates the experience of a mining tunnel. Thus, the display strategy shifts from linear narration to immersive exploration, combining physical exhibits with new media to balance scientific rigor with sensory engagement.
Ultimately, the project extends beyond constructing an exhibition hall. It restores the mountainous fabric once fragmented by urban development, reweaving the symbiotic relationship between the above-ground architecture and the underground mining context, between human activity and natural geology. Within a contemporary framework, it reconstructs the spiritual connection among people, history, and nature.
