A gallery in the shape of a UFO was built in the steppes of Inner Mongolia

About this write Dezeen.

The building, located on the shores of Lake Laoli in the Ulanchabu Steppes about 160 kilometers west of Beijing, resembles a flying saucer that has landed in the landscape.

According to the architects' plan, the futuristic object should help visitors distance themselves from the familiar urban environment and fully immerse themselves in the space of the steppe.

Studio founder Ziyu Zhuang explains that the team deliberately abandoned traditional images associated with Mongolia—yurts, nomadism, or historical allusions to Genghis Khan. Instead, the architects sought to create a new spatial story that emphasizes the sense of isolation and distance from modern civilization.

Visitors can climb onto the terraced roof directly from the steppe and enter the gallery through an opening at the top. The architects describe this gesture as a “natural cut through the landscape” rather than a traditional entrance to the building.

The interior of Prairie Ark was designed as a multifunctional space for exhibitions, conferences, brand events and social gatherings. A multi-level ceiling with skylights fills the space with natural light, and the main hall on the first floor was left open and without partitions.

The studio also built an observation tower, Nomads' Beacon Tower, next to the gallery. Its image is inspired by the signal towers of the Great Wall of China and the smoke of lighthouses rising into the sky.

One route to the tower passes through a lake and a small open-air amphitheater. Stairs around a central chimney lead to a terraced roof with panoramic views of the lake and steppe.

In the summer, when the water level rises, the road to the tower is partially flooded, and the structure turns into an isolated monument in the middle of the landscape.

 

 

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