Wang Shu's Ningbo Historic Museum: A New Chinese Vernacular

In May of this year, the author visited Ningbo, China, specifically to see the work of Wang Shu, the first Chinese citizen to win the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2012. Wang Shu has built multiple projects in Ningbo, the world's busiest seaport on the East China Sea coast. Unlike other Pritzker laureates such as Richard Meier and Zaha Hadid, Wang Shu has avoided the starchitect label. With only two days in the city, the author chose to visit the Ningbo Historic Museum, completed in 2008. The museum is a prime example of Wang Shu's approach to architecture, which draws on traditional Chinese building techniques and materials, creating a new vernacular. The author notes that Wang Shu's work in Ningbo was so compelling that they knew they would return even before arriving. The article reflects on Wang Shu's significance in contemporary architecture and his contribution to a distinctly Chinese architectural language.