Sure Architecture’s Perforated Yinchuan Exhibition Center Reflects Islamic Architecture in Northwest China

Northwest China has strong historic ties to <a href="http://inhabitat.com/the-louvres-golden-roofed-department-of-islamic-arts-opens-this-weekend/" target="_blank">Islamic culture, architecture and design</a>. Drawing upon this tradition, <a href="http://www.sure-architecture.com/" target="_blank">Sure Architecture</a> incorporated Islamic patterns into their plans for the Yinchuan Exhibition Center, an innovative green museum with a beautiful etched facade. The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/blade-runner-style-department-store-brings-a-rooftop-park-to-a-mexico-city-suburb/" target="_blank">curvilinear double-skinned exhibition hall</a> fuses traditional Chinese materials with Islamic design motifs.

<a href="http://www.sure-architecture.com/" target="_blank">Sure Architecture</a>'s Yinchuan Exhibition Center is designed to unite the Chinese and Arabic Axis while also functioning as a premier cultural institution.

The building's perforated facade features <a href="http://inhabitat.com/slides-perforated-skin-slides-in-and-out-to-control-solar-gain/" target="_blank">carved patterns</a> that allow natural ventilation and daylight to enter the building.

Spanning five stories and 25,302 square meters, the building is centered around a sprawling <a href="http://inhabitat.com/city-green-court-in-prague-features-a-living-wall-and-tree-in-the-central-atrium/" target="_blank">main atrium</a> that connects the floors and allows visitors to view the entire museum from the atrium level.

The museum's polyhedron shape allows the wind and elements to easily flow around the building, preventing erosion or weather damage over time.

Aside from being a new cultural landmark, the museum is also a model of energy-efficiency. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_emissivity">Low-e glass</a> lines each window, while an automatic shading system helps control the temperature inside naturally.

<a href="http://inhabitat.com/115-west-street-office-with-a-lobby-full-of-living-trees-receives-green-star-sa-certification-in-south-africa/" target="_blank">The atrium helps cool and warm</a> the building by creating a funneling effect. The Yinchuan Exhibition Center pays tribute to the Islamic influence of the area, while also extending the city's central business district.