A concept shaped by a site visit

In April 2002, I. M. Pei visited Macau with his son Li Chung Pei, then chairman of Pei Partnership Architects, to choose a site for the Science Center. I. M. Pei was credited with the concept design. The selected waterfront location faces the Macao Cultural Centre, on reclaimed land planned for the centre and its supporting facilities.

The family names in the project belong to different roles: I. M. Pei supplied the concept, while Li Chung Pei chaired Pei Partnership Architects and accompanied the site-selection visit. The resulting 20,000-square-metre complex brings together exhibition halls, a planetarium and convention facilities on the new waterfront.

The Science Center has a gross floor area of 20,000 square metres and brings together an Exhibition Center, a Planetarium and a Convention Center. Its three parts are given geometric forms, including the familiar conical profile, and joined into a single waterfront complex. The arrangement places public exhibitions, astronomy and event facilities within one landmark building.

Steel, aluminium panels and glass define the material palette in the official description. Its geometric volumes combine steel, aluminium panels and glass; daylight enters the interior as part of the building’s energy-conscious design. Its position across from the Cultural Centre is part of its composition: the building occupies a reclaimed waterfront site and faces another major public arts institution.

The Science Center’s stated mission is to promote popular science among young people in coordination with Macau’s tourism development. It also serves as a regional platform for science education and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions. The three programme areas support that mix: exhibition galleries for public science, a planetarium for astronomy programmes, and a convention centre for larger gatherings.

This combination gives the building a civic role beyond its architecture. Families and school groups can encounter science through exhibitions and planetarium shows, while the convention facilities support events. The centre’s public purpose is therefore visible in its organization: a landmark on the waterfront with separate spaces for learning, astronomy and assembly.