As physical evidences of history, museums are what keeps the human spirit alive through the ages. Gardens within museums are complex on the outside, but also sophisticated on the inside. 

Passage of Time Garden is located within Anji Archaeology Museum, which sits near Anji Ancient City Ruins and Longshan Yueguo Noble Tombs. Within this design, we strive to balance the relationship between natural and man-made. The site spans from the museum all the way to the surrounding mountainous landscape filled with wildlife. Yet the ambience of the garden takes on an opposite approach with the museum area being more natural and the natural area more man-made. 

The design follows the museum tour route which is characterized by long hallways that connect different exhibition halls and separate the garden into inner and outer garden. The design language of the exhibition area uses natural forms that are complex and present a very clear object imagery. Then gradually transitions to the outer garden where abstract, man-made elements can be seen.

 The main entrance of the museum is located at the south, an area characterized by gray walls corresponding with the inner garden mainly for viewing purposes. We hope the tourists can pause at the entrance for a brief moment, being attracted by the still scenery that can only be viewed from distance. At the same time printing that image onto the back of the head, setting the tone for rest of the garden. 

Continuing from the entrace entering the corridor, visitors will enter the next scene where the buildings are no longer the backdrop, instead, the outer garden surrounded by natural areas comes into view where the yellow rust stone sculpture becomes the dominant vertcial element around 80 meters away. The sculpture will guide the visitors to meander into the garden while elevating the style of the garden. 

As visitors strolls from the inner garden into the outer garden, the stones transition from smooth-surfaced river stones to mountain stones with crack lines across the surface. Accompained by tall pines on either side, the passageway between the two gardens give vistors the feel of hiking a tall mountain from the river. Although the surface of the mountain stones is rich in crack lines, they point towards the same direction and a rhythm appears, subtly guiding the visitors towards the outer garden. The design language transitions from natural to geometric/man-made, creating an independent and unique space called “Dong Tian”. Visitors will deeply experience the constrictive, oppressive, yet enlightening sensation created from the building, trees, and stones. 

The sculpture is composed of many smaller pieces of yellow rust stone with different finishes, also displaying a transition from natural to man-made. At the bottom are more natural finishes like cracked surface and natural surface.