Hami Pterosaur Museum: Eco-Adaptive Design in Extreme Condition

Project Profile

1. Project Statement

The Hami Pterosaur Museum, spanning 7,990 square meters and occupying a 14,400-square-meter site, is located in the International Exploration Park of Dahaidao, Hami, Xinjiang. This landmark project is set in an extreme arid environment within one of the world’s most distinctive Yardang landforms, an area rich in fossilized pterosaur remains. With a $20 million USD investment, the museum is designed to integrate scientific research, education, and eco-tourism while addressing the region’s harsh environmental challenges.

2. Objective and Challenge

Hami’s arid continental climate poses several challenges:

• Extreme dryness: Annual precipitation of 30-50 mm, relative humidity below 40%.
• Severe winds and sandstorms: Frequent northeast winds, reaching 13 Beaufort scale (violent storm).
• Drastic temperature variations: Summer highs reach 46°C, winter lows drop to -22°C.
• Intense solar radiation: Surface temperatures reach 70°C.

3. Design Strategy

To withstand these harsh conditions, the museum employs innovative sustainable strategies:

1.Underground Integration: The museum is embedded underground for natural insulation, maintaining a stable temperature while minimizing sandstorm impacts. Above ground, spiraled shell-like structures echo fossilized dinosaur eggs and improve stability.

2.Wind Control through Bio-Inspired Design: Curved walls and spiral openings are strategically placed to deflect harsh winds. Airflow channels between shell structures reduce wind pressure by 40%.

3.Sand Recycling & Natural Lighting: Hourglass-shaped translucent membranes collect and redistribute sand for landscape restoration. Light tubes bring daylight into deep interiors, reducing artificial lighting needs by 48.8%, saving 84,672 kWh annually.

4.Passive Cooling System: Direct evaporative cooling uses arid conditions to lower energy consumption for air conditioning by 94%, saving 223,421 kWh per year.

5.Water & Nutrient Recycling: Greywater recycling reduces water consumption by 60%, supporting drought-resistant vegetation. Anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge generates methane, while recovered nutrients enhance soil quality.

6.Solar-Powered Infrastructure: Photovoltaic panels on parking shade structures generate 500,000 kWh of clean energy annually, further reducing emissions.

Carbon & Water Accounting

The project significantly reduces carbon emissions through energy efficiency, resource recycling, and passive design:

• Energy-based CO₂ reduction: 646.4 tons/year (solar power 100%, ventilation & lighting).
• Resource recycling CO₂ reduction: 32 tons/year (water reuse, fertilizer substitution).
• Passive design & material choices: 210-320 tons/year in embedded carbon savings.
• Net emissions reduction: 900-1,000 tons CO₂e annually.

4. Conclusion

By combining passive climate adaptations, renewable energy, and sustainable resource management, the Hami Pterosaur Museum serves as a model for low-carbon architecture in extreme environments. Future carbon neutrality could be achieved through afforestation or carbon trading, setting a precedent for sustainable design in arid regions.