Museum of Contemporary Art and Planning Exhibition (MoCAPE) is a synergy between two institutions, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and the Planning Exhibition (PE).
© Duccio Malagamba
The MoCAPE is the winning proposal of the Coop Himmelb(l)au to be located in the Chinese city of Shenzhen.
© Duccio Malagamba
The 80000 metre square museum with its transparent façade and interior lighting allow for an interior – exterior communication putting in evidence the main circulation atrium between the two volumes. This also permits unhindered view from the inside on the cityscape whiles giving the visitor the impression of being in a shaded outdoor area.
© Duccio Malagamba
The wide spans allow for column-free and flexible exhibition halls of heights reaching 17metres.The atrium between the two volumes serves as the main circulation area with ramps and escalators. This also serves as a public plaza while providing access to other facilities like the cultural services block, the library and café, bookstore and museum store.
Project info:
Architects: Coop Himmelb(l)au
Country: China, Shenzhen Shi
Area: 80000 m²
Year: 2016
Photographs: Duccio Malagamba
Lighting Design: AG Licht
Structural Engineering: B+G Ingenieure Bollinger + Grohmann GmbH
Project Team: Jessie Castro, Jessie Chen, Jasmin Dieterle, Luis Ferreira, Peter Grell, Paul Hoszowsky, Dimitar Ivanov, Ivana Jug, Zhu Yuang Kang, Alexander Karaivanov, Nam La-Chi, Rodelle Lee, Feng Lei, Megan Lepp, Samuel Liew, Thomas Margaretha, Jens Mehlan, Ivo de Nooijer, Reinhard Platzl, Vincenzo Possenti, Pete Rose, Ana Santos, Jutta Schädler, Günther Weber, Chen Yue
Digital Project Team: Angus Schoenberger, Matt Kirkham, Jasmin Dieterle, Jonathan Asher, Jan Brosch
Local Architect: HSArchitects
Mechanical Engineering: Reinhold Bacher
Cost Management: Davis Langdon & Seah
Design Principal: Wolf D. Prix
Project Partner: Markus Prossnigg
Design Architects: Quirin Krumbholz, Jörg Hugo, Mona Bayr
Project Architects: Angus Schoenberger, Veronika Janovska, Tyler Bornstein
Project Coordination: Xinyu Wan
Hassan Yakubu is an editor at Arch2O with a deep academic and professional background in architecture, planning, and urban infrastructure. Currently pursuing his Ph.D. at Cornell University, his editorial focus spans climate urbanism, sustainability transitions, and the intersection of infrastructure and STS. Hassan brings a sharp critical lens shaped by fieldwork in Accra and policy research across Africa. With prior experience leading pedagogical initiatives and contributing to architectural practices in Rabat and Accra, his writing brings clarity, academic depth, and a global perspective to contemporary urban issues and design thinking.