ENR 2025 Global Best Projects
Award of Merit, Cultural/Worship: Sunner Museum

Three curved, interlocking roofs echo the region’s undulating terrain.
Sunner Museum
Nanping, China
Award of Merit, Cultural/Worship
Submitted by Atelier Alter Architects
Owner: Fujian Sunner Holding Co. Ltd.
Lead Design Firm: Atelier Alter Architects
Contractor: Beijing No. 3 Construction Engineering Co. Ltd.
Civil Engineer: Beijing Institute of Architectural Design Co. Ltd.
The $126.91 million project, completed at budget and on schedule, embodies the “recreated mountain” concept by blending architecture with the lush landscape of Wuyi Mountain. Three curved, interlocking roofs mirror the region’s rolling terrain, while the folded concrete facade suggests steel plates, integrating glass for transparency and light. A main hall featuring a more than 80-ft-high atrium supported by four silo-like walls houses large exhibits under softly lit skylights.
Considering the area’s humid climate, designers set the roof slope at 45° to promote quick drainage, while using 23-in.-thick soil-covered roof material for natural heat insulation. Curtain wall designer Zhu Ping concealed ventilation louvers within the gaps of concrete folded panels, balancing visual texture with air circulation. Hidden within concrete folds, the louvers enable airflow through the building without disrupting its sculptural rhythm.
Balancing structure and landscape created a major challenge: The curved roofs had to support vegetation and pedestrian traffic while maintaining connectivity and strength. Close collaboration among architects, structural engineers and interior teams ensured that mechanical systems were seamlessly integrated into the technical roof layer.
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