BySukant Deepak

March 3, 2020 (IANSlife) M+, the first global museum of contemporary visual culture in Asia dedicated to collecting, exhibiting, and interpreting visual art, design, and architecture, and moving image will open in Hong Kong at the end of this year.

The building, designed by a global team of the world-renowned architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron in partnership with TFP Farrells and Arup, is located in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon  Cultural District on the Victoria Harbour waterfront.

The architectural form consists of monumental horizontal and vertical volumes—an  expansive podium and a strikingly slender tower—reflecting the architects’ reading of the unique  typologies of Hong Kong’s architectural landscape and their sensitivity to local urban conditions. The 65,000 square-metre M+ building houses 17,000 square meters of exhibition space across thirty-three galleries. It also includes three cinemas, a Mediatheque, a Learning Hub, a Research Centre,  museum shops, restaurants, a tea and coffee bar, a Members Lounge, and office spaces, with a Roof  Garden that commands spectacular views of Victoria Harbour. Most galleries are arranged on a large podium level on the second floor offering visitors a fluid, interconnected experience of the exhibitions.  The tower defines a visual dialogue with the urban landscape of Hong Kong. The podium and tower are united as concrete structures clad in ceramic tiles that reflect the changing conditions of light and weather while standing out from nearby glass and steel skyscrapers. The tower facade also features an  LED system for the display of content related to the museum, making a distinctive contribution to the city’s vibrant night-time environment. 

Betty Fung, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, says, “I believe that M+ will become one of the most iconic architectural landmarks in Hong Kong and a must-visit cultural landmark for local residents and tourists in the future. The completion of M+, together  with that of the Xiqu Centre, Freespace and the Art Park in 2019, marks an important milestone of the  West Kowloon Cultural District project which is moving into an exciting new phase of development.”

Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director, M+, emphasizes the importance of the completion of M+’s construction journey. “This is a major milestone for the museum. As we mark the building completion,  our opening preparations are in full swing. We have moved into our permanent home, and I am thrilled  to be able to say we can soon welcome visitors from Hong Kong and beyond to M+.” 

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Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in