Shanghai Submarine Museum–Branch of National Maritime Museum

The conceptual design for the Shanghai Submarine Museum – the Huangpu Branch of the National Maritime Museum of China – is located at the historic No. 3 Dock of the former Jiangnan Shipyard. This unique site places the museum within a revitalized cultural waterfront, engaging the city's industrial and maritime heritage at the Huangpu River. The architecture establishes a dialogue between honoring history and expressing a contemporary vision. Its form draws inspiration from the dock's original function, echoing the silhouette of a vessel's bow. This symmetrical geometry is transformed by soft, wave-like curves sweeping across the main façade. These three-dimensional articulations create a sophisticated aesthetic that balances the site's robust industrial character with a clear sense of fluid modernity.
Encompassing 3,110 square meters, the interior is crafted to evoke the sensory experience of submarining. The narrative journey begins in a narrow and subdued entrance hall. Here, a key architectural gesture—a long skylight aligned with a high clerestory window—creates a striking “sundial” effect. This light illuminates a wall featuring an enlarged navigational chart, mapping a vessel's lifetime voyage. Visitors then move through a series of deep, arched galleries simulating the confined atmosphere of a submarine's interior. Irregular porthole windows allow natural light to enter as fractured, shimmering beams, intensifying the submerged feeling. In contrast, the expansive underground hall shifts the narrative towards futurism. Here, ambient lighting creates the compelling illusion of light filtering through simulated water, casting ethereal, undulating reflections that evoke wonder and advanced discovery.
The visitor pathway is carefully sequenced to reinforce this narrative arc. Guests initially enter on an upper level, passing through immersive historical displays before emerging onto a dramatic deck for the iconic “submarine-in-dock” panorama. A bridging gangway then leads to an authentic, decommissioned submarine for firsthand exploration. After disembarking, the curated route continues through interactive simulators and technical exhibits, culminating in a descent into the fully immersive, future-focused environment below. This orchestrated circulation does more than organize space; it actively guides visitors through a compelling story of maritime endeavor, connecting a respected past to an inspired future.