Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning

Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning

The Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning is a cultural heritage site protected by Shenzhen.

The Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning is a non-profit institution located in Futian District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. It was one of the 60 landmark major construction projects under Shenzhen’s 12th Five-Year Plan (2011–2015).

The Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning consists of two sections: the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Urban Planning, and operates under an integrated “two museums, one entity” management model.

The Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning was designed by the “pioneer of deconstructivism,” the Austrian firm Coop Himmelb(l)au. The architecture unifies the distinct functions of a Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and a Museum of Urban Planning (MOUP) under a single building envelope, while sharing some public service spaces. This uniquely designed venue has become a new cultural and artistic landmark in Futian District, Shenzhen.

The Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning took four years to complete in the Futian New District of Shenzhen and stands as a significant large-scale public cultural building in the city center. The structure houses two independent departments: the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and the Planning Exhibition (PE). Notably, these two museums share a single architectural body but remain structurally independent. The complex structural system features irregular forms made up of numerous inclined, twisted, and rotating surfaces, making its construction highly exploratory and challenging.

The Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and the Museum of Urban Planning form a comprehensive cultural venue integrating art collection and exhibition, information inquiry and promotion, and visitor reception. As a “conceptual building,” it boasts a unique design with extensive use of inclined, twisted, and rotating irregular steel structures.

The two-museum project comprehensively applied over 100 widely adoptable new technologies, including “integrated solar energy and building applications, automated dust suppression systems on construction roads, and bridge damping and shock absorption technologies.” It also utilized patented technologies such as “sandbox unloading.” Popular scientific innovations like “3D architectural modeling (i.e., BIM systems),” “robotic high-precision automatic measurement and control technology,” and “3D printing” were also extensively applied in the project.

The future development of the Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning follows the core principles of “founding the museum on public interest, building it through academia, and serving the public.” Aiming for reform and innovation in cultural initiatives, it strives for professional development and market-oriented operations, fully demonstrating Shenzhen’s pioneering role in cultural industry reform and innovation.

The Museum of Contemporary Art will showcase high-level contemporary artworks from both China and abroad, aligning with international academic standards and fulfilling its role in public art education. It aims to become an internationally influential contemporary art institution within 5 to 10 years of opening. The Museum of Urban Planning will create a distinctive exhibition space for urban culture and architectural design with Shenzhen characteristics. Guided by themes developed jointly by the Shenzhen Municipal Planning and Land Resources Commission and the Mathematics Committee, it will fully reflect the qualities of a “City of Design” and a “Pioneering City.”

Address: No. 184, Fuzhong Road, Futian District, Shenzhen

Opening Hours: 10:00–17:30, last entry at 16:30 (Closed on Mondays, open on holidays)