Australian company Cox Architecture and the Tianjin Architecture Design Institute (TADI) developed a modern museum with a twist. The firms conducted a soft opening last May where different aspects of China's marine heritage were featured. The project also manifested China's President Xi Jinping's remarks about the ocean linking nations instead of separating them.
The National Maritime Museum of China created a modern complex that manifested the development of Beijing's Daxing International Airport and the country's efforts of upholding a 'green' urban approach to its cities, reported China.org.cn.
Since the museum had its soft opening last May 2019, thousands of people got a glimpse of China's maritime history. According to the founder of Cox Architecture Philip Cox, the facility was elegant yet simple which is located on a man-made bay.
The honorary president of TADI Liu Jingliang said that the main objective of the museum was to give visitors an overview and awareness of the sea. He added that their designs mirrored the sentiments of Chinese President Xi Jinping's statement during the 70th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Navy. The president said that humans of the world are not divided into islands but are united by the oceans and that all form a community with a shared future.
Liu added that the establishment is China's first national museum that embodied the elements of art, culture, and history of China. He added that the design followed a nonlinear approach from the land to the sea. He also hinted that the design would enable people to explore the different parts of the museum in a more embracing way.
Cox also added that there are already a lot of Australian architects who work in China, but the project is one of a few that were given the privilege of working on heritage sites significantly meaningful to the country. He also hinted that projects like the modern museum would usually generate conflicts over the design concept but the same was not the case with the modern museum.
An official of the National Maritime Museum Preparation Office Zhu Ci added that the project is a significant addition to the showcases that provide an overview of China's maritime history. Zhu added that it is also a manifestation of China's involvement in global maritime cooperation and management including the protection of marine life.
Furthermore, it was also mentioned that China is also working on promoting the construction of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Zhu said that China is currently developing a blue economy and encourages pragmatic cooperation from other nations through the Belt and Road Initiative.
According to Asian Times, Myanmar is among the country that has complied with China's objective. The country has decided to build a new port for the Belt and Road Initiative project.
