Construction is underway on a Olympic-themed museum in Tianjin, China, comprising five connected rings.

Designed by Dutch architects HAO and Beijing studio Archiland, the museum will commemorate the legacy of Juan Antonio Samaranch, who was president of the International Olympic Committee from 1980 to 2001 and an influential promoter of the games.

Exhibitions dedicated to Samaranch's work will be housed in a figure of eight-shaped building that will loop around an entrance courtyard and garden in the two largest rings of the complex.

The three smaller circles will contain sunken courtyards, providing spaces for temporary exhibitions, administration and research.

The Samaranch Memorial Museum is due to complete in 2013.

See stories about this year's Olympic games here »

Here's a project description from HAO:

The HAO / Holm Architecture Office + Archiland Beijing design for the Samaranch Memorial Museum in Tianjin, China is under construction.

After adjusting the design of the competition scheme, the Samaranch Memorial Museum construction is well under way. The museum is expected to be completed by the end of 2013.

Concept diagram - click above for larger image

Project Information:

Juan Antonio Samaranch, the president of the International Olympic Committee from 1980 to 2001, devoted his life to the Olympic. Throughout his presidency he advocated for reform and inclusion and was a strong supporter of Chinas bid as host city for the 2008 Olympic Games.

The five interlocking rings of the Olympic Logo serves as the foundation for the buildings design.

By re-arranging the rings and varying the scale we are proposing a museum consisting of two rings above ground and with 3 sunken courtyards.

The two main rings serve as counterparts in the story of the life of Juan Antonio Samaranch.

The first ring lifts and invites the visitor in through a public courtyard. This ring focuses on the legacy of the work Juan Antonio Samaranch did with the Olympic Committee and the impact it has had on China and the world. The second ring encloses a lush garden and focuses on the life and work of Juan Antonio Samaranch, serving as a memorial to his achievements.

Together the two rings create a continuous loop taking the visitor through both the exhibition and memorial areas.

The surrounding park design is includes art and activity zones anchored by a new lake.

The Samaranch Memorial Museum is designed to take full advantage of green technologies. Solar cells is designed to be installed on the buildings roof and geothermal heating and cooling will provide climate control.

“With the design of the Samaranch Memorial Museum we propose to merge two existing typologies: the memorial and the museum. This new combination allows the building to both honor the life of Juan Antonio Samaranch while simultaneously creating a place which focuses on the true legacy of the Olympics: creating opportunities for people to meet and celebrate across cultural and geographical boundaries.” Jens Holm, Founder, HAO

Name: Samaranch Memorial Museum
Program: Museum and Landscape
Type: Competition
Size: 15.000 m2 building, 80.000 m2 landscape
Client: City of Tianjin
Collaborators: Archiland Beijing, Krag & Berglund, Cowi Beijing
Location: Tianjin, China
Status: Completion 2013