The design of the Ordos Museum by MAD Architects—which was completed in 2011—departs from the glass and geometry of many modern buildings in favor of a giant undulating blob. It sits in the Chinese Gobi desert in the town of Ordos, a new city that began construction in 2004 and has been called a modern ghost town, a stillborn city, and a failed utopia because of its lack of residents.
The museum is made with polished metal tiles that can resist the region’s frequent sandstorms and harsh winters, while inside the art galleries are housed in smaller blobs that are connected by bridges. A plethora of skylights provide natural light inside the blob, and one interesting addition is a naturally lit interior garden that is shared by museum office employees and researchers.
