Geological Museum and Civic Space for BaoTou

I feel that I should probably add an informational entry, just showing where my hotel is in relation to Xian Dai and the city as a whole.

The project that I’ve been working on this week is developing building massing and an urban landscaping option for a geological museum. Everyone on my project team is incredibly friendly and willing to answer any and all of my questions. I’ve received printouts and images of BaoTou and information about the city’s history and unique symbolism and culture. I still feel, however, that I am in no way gaining a firm grasp on the culture and values of the region. It’s somewhat disconcerting. I’ve barely begun to understand Shanghai itself! It’s very exciting, however, to be working on a project that has such cultural relevance, especially after my Sri Lanka studio this past term.

This is a rendering of an earlier design scheme for BaoTou. The massive civic mall area still figures into the urban plan, but it has been modified in the design that my project team and I are working on.

BaoTou is nicknamed the "deer city," after a type of deer species which is native to and symbolic of the region. There is even a monument to the deer in the city.