The competition winning design by HAO/Holm Architecture Office in collaboration with Archiland Beijing is now under construction. The museum is being built in the city of Tianjin in China and is dedicated to Juan Antonio Samaranch, who was president of the International Olympic committee and a strong supporter of China’s bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games.

The five interlocking rings of the Olympic symbol are the foundation for the building’s design, which consists of two rings above ground and three sunken courtyards. With the design of the Samaranch Memorial Museum, HAO attempt to merge two existing typologies, the museum and the memorial, allowing the building to function as a memorial to Juan Antonio Samaranch while creating a space of celebration to the legacy of the Olympics. The first ring will house exhibits of Samaranch’s contribution to the Olympics and the second ring will enclose a garden and will serve as a memorial to his life and achievments. The two rings create a continuous loop which takes the visitor through both the memorial and exhibition areas.

The Samaranch Memorial Museum is due for completion in 2013.