Construction on a number of major new attractions in Shanghai will begin before the year is out, according to city officials.

Dozens of museums and art galleries are to be built across a 67,000sq m (721,000sq ft) area in Jiading District – forming the Haishang Cultural Museum Complex.

According to the Shanghai Daily newspaper, the local government is concerned that too many of Shanghai’s museums and theatres are located an inconvenient distance from residents living in the outskirts. It is developing the new facilities to create a cultural landmark for this part of the city.

The buildings will be completed by 2020, according to Yao Qiang, deputy director of the district bureau of culture, radio, film and TV.

The identity of the museums to be included has not yet been revealed.

The complex and a surrounding park have been designed by Portuguese architect Carlos Castanheira. According to media reports it will have a minimalist style, with museums and galleries housed in simple three-story units, along with cafes, teahouses, a calligraphy training room and as many as 30 exhibition rooms for workshops and seminars.

“It will make it possible for visitors to see dozens of various collections from world-class collectors and thousands of artworks by renowned artists through a single visit,” said Yao.

Other recent cultural projects in Jiading, opened as part of the government's cultural drive, include the Han Tianheng Art Museum, the Shanghai Poly Grand Theater and the Jiading Library.

Elsewhere in the city, Steven Holl has designed a forthcoming cultural and health centre, Heatherwick Studio are building a mountain-inspired mixed-use district and plans are in place for a planetarium and an ocean world and ski park in the Pudong district.