Phase I of the Dao Art Museum was developed through the adaptive reuse of the former Wusijing Primary School site. The project reimagines the area as a rural cultural and artistic community, aiming to revitalize the North Taihu region by introducing new cultural energy and public engagement.Respecting the memory embedded in the original site, three semi-enclosed single-storey buildings with traditional grey-tiled roofs were carefully renovated and transformed into a comprehensive center, Exhibition Hall 1, and Exhibition Hall 2. In addition, a new three-storey artist studio facing Lake Taihu was introduced, establishing a spatial dialogue between artistic creation and the surrounding landscape.During the renovation, fragments of the original school walls and selected structural columns were preserved as physical traces of collective memory, allowing the past and present to coexist within the renewed environment. The large tree at the center of the courtyard naturally forms a social nucleus, offering an open and shared space for gathering and interaction. The pond within the courtyard acts as a reflective surface—mirroring the origins of Dao while symbolically reflecting the future of the North Taihu region.
Dao美术馆一期项目以吴泗泾小学旧址为基础改建而成，整体定位为一个乡村文化艺术社区，旨在为北太湖地区注入新的文化活力与公共交流空间。设计在尊重原有场地记忆的前提下，对原有三栋半围合的青瓦平房进行更新改造，分别转化为综合中心、展馆一与展馆二，并新增一栋面向太湖景观的三层艺术家工作室。在改造过程中，吴泗泾小学旧址中具有象征意义的片墙与部分立柱被完整保留，作为场地历史的见证，使过去与当下在空间中形成连续对话。合院中央的大树自然形成了社区的公共核心，为交流、停留与社交活动提供了开放而包容的场所。院中的池塘如同一面镜子，既映照着Dao的历史来源，也象征着北太湖地区面向未来的可能性与想象。
Client: Suzhou Arts and Crafts Association
Location: Suzhou, China
Program: Architecture/Interior architecture
Architects: WIA
Design: 2024 – 2025
Construction: 2025
Key Words: Rural cultural and artistic community
客户: 苏州工艺美术协会
地点: 中国苏州
类型: 建筑/室内建筑
建筑师: WIA建筑事务所
时间: 2024 – 2025