(Photo courtesy of Nanjing Daily)

The new Nanjing Yunjin Museum currently under construction is gradually taking shape and is set to become another cultural landmark for the city when it opens next year.

The silver-clad building features a curved roof adorned with intricate hollow-carved patterns. Perforated aluminum panels along the sides create a cloud-like visual effect.

In Chinese, yun means “clouds” and jin means “brocade”. Nanjing Yunjin represents the pinnacle of Chinese silk weaving craftsmanship and was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009.

The new museum is expected to attract workshops, bookstores and studios dedicated to traditional intangible cultural heritage, transforming the space into a vibrant hub of Jiangnan culture.

Located near the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, the new museum incorporates a theme of peace into its design. An underground corridor linking the museum to the memorial features a “Peace Wall,” inspired by the leaves of the Chinese parasol tree - a symbol of Nanjing.