The next major cultural project from Zaha Hadid Architects has been revealed after the firm published the first images of its under-construction Chengdu Science Fiction Museum to coincide with the announcement that it will play host to the Hugo Awards later this year.

In the form of a solar nebula, the 59,000-square-meter (635,000-square-foot) museum is designed for maximal programmatic flexibility with the intention of “creating a journey of discovery that weaves between indoor and outdoor plazas at multiple levels.” 

A skylit central atrium holds the key to the interior design, with gallery spaces, a large theater, and concert hall emanating from its node. Finally, the museum’s hybrid ventilation system combines with a roof canopy array of photovoltaics to help the project attain the maximum 3-star rating achievable under the Chinese Green Building Program.

An exterior landscape design allows for further rainwater collection and storage, further emphasizing the sustainability drive. According to the design team, native plants dot the landscaping program and enhance the biodiversity in the area. In addition to the Hugo Awards, the museum will play host to the World Science Fiction Convention after it opens in reflection of the city’s status as a literary capital for the genre.

This is the latest museum project in China for ZHA, following the currently under-construction Jinghe New City Culture & Art Center; the completed Changsha Meixihu International Culture and Art Centre; and the forthcoming Shenzhen Science and Technology Museum and Zhuhai Jinwan Civic Art Centre, both of which are slated for completion within the calendar year.