A silk mill neighbourhood lies adjacent to the site and the mulberry trees are forested in the city. Based on the rich history of Greek mythology, the building translates the cultural exchange between East and West into a silk museum. The heritage of silk fabrication is woven into the museum, with dyed fabric hanging around the building and a workshop dedicated to silk preservation. A wall opening to the workshop frames the process of silk preservation as part of the exhibition and reveals what is behind the scenes to visitors.

Informed by spolia as an approach to reusing abundant architectural and sculptural waste, the museum’s furniture becomes an extension of the architecture. Along the journey curated around the main atrium, the close contact with the exhibits allows visitors to actively engage with the exhibition. Guided by the staircase around the main atrium, the visitors are afforded views into the workshop and storage, encouraging an understanding of the silk weaving tradition frommultiple perspectives.