The primary design departure for the Three Gorges Dam museum project is the significant geographic location, spiritual nature, sense of scale and emergent verticality. Adjacent to the site is the Heaven’s Son Citadel, the inlet of the Yangtze River, and the city of Chongqing. The three converge to create an area rich in culture, geography and texture.

The program for the museum is organized in three distinct forms; a pedestal, a glowing lantern and a flying box kite. The assembly of these components provides for a dynamic architectural dialogue between the objects and nature, resulting in a grand and memorable gesture on the precipice of the mountain. The three elements are also arranged as a timeline concept, allowing the story of the history of the people, geography and migration to be displayed.