Behind the Curtain: Xiqu Centre, West Kowloon, Hong Kong

West Kowloon Xiqu Centre, Hong Kong

Revery Architecture (formerly Bing Thom Architects) and Ronald Lu & Partners joint venture

Priscilla Chan

Ema Peter

The importance of opera has recently been further recognized in Hong Kong

Designed for Chinese Opera Designed by Revery

The steel bracket is connected to the aluminum wall of the building. Curved Fin

Part of the façade prototype was built on site. These processes

At the four corners of the roughly square building, arched openings resemble stage curtains. They invited passersby to glimpse inside the center. The 20-meter-high main entrance that meets Canton Road is especially popular. The huge scale attracts tourists into Xiqu

Abstract chandelier. Atrium-public access

The atrium in the public place was not part of the client’s initial request. The latter requested the construction of a grand theatre with 1,073 seats, a teahouse theatre with 200 seats, and a structure for training and administrative facilities. However, after investigating the site, the architect realized that if the Grand Theater were placed on the ground, it would completely occupy 1,260 square meters of space and limit the porosity of the building. The team decided to suspend the grand theater above the venue. This was a bold move that solved another problem-isolating the performance space from the vibration and noise of the underground high-speed rail.

task. Six large columns and two double six-meter-high roof trusses support the weight of the theater at 1,800 tons. The roof structure is first built on the ground, and then lifted to the middle of the giant column with hydraulic strand jacks. Then, before lifting the roof structure to its final position 48 meters above the ground, the columns were reinforced with temporary concrete tie beams. The underside of the theater was eventually raised to connect with the roof hanger.

Below, the resulting atrium shows no trace of this complicated engineering. The space is completed with more than 200 double-curved, white-coated aluminum panels, exuding a bright and dynamic atmosphere. Each panel has a unique trapezoidal shape and curvature. they are

Cutting in Dongguan, China, based on

Models and precisely assembled on site to create flowing spaces. The free movement of air through the atrium further enhances its spatial fluidity.

The center of the atrium is the podium for cultural events. Stairs and gently sloping ramps lead visitors to the first and second floors, where there are teahouse theaters, training facilities, shops and restaurants

Daily life in the atrium: people pass by, gather for free performances, or just sit and chat on the curved continuous benches surrounding the podium.

Starting from the atrium, escalators and elevators lead to the foyer, which has the same fluidity and brightness as the open space below. After entering the theater, people will be faced with a dark palette, which makes the performance venue a unique world.

The stage and auditorium of the Grand Theater are different from typical modern theaters. Traditional opera is performed on a flat wooden or bamboo stage, and the audience can watch the performance from a relatively horizontal line of sight. Therefore, the design of the Grand Theater uses shallow inclined rake, with only one balcony. The large auditorium is divided into

Interact with performers.

usage time. Revery Architecture hires London headquarters

Lined with electric sound insulation curtain to further absorb sound

The Xiqu Center was finally completed under the leadership of the design leader Venelin Kokalov, which embodies the architect and the city's vision of constantly recreating cultural forms that resonate with tradition and meet contemporary needs. Like Xiqu performances, Xiqu Center is a dream come true, integrating the cultures of different places and times, and producing fascinating results.

West Kowloon Cultural District Authority

Bing Thom (Bing Thom), Venelin Kokalov (Venelin Kokalov), Earl Briggs, Francis Yan, Ling Meng, Giles Hall, Aaron Kwok, Chen Huilin, Amiral Javidan, Daniel Gasser, Marcus Hsu, Eiffel Wang, Cullen Osborne, Bibienka Phil, Nicole Hu, Don Elaine Charles Leman, Chun Choy, Brian Ackerman , Ryan Shaban, Chapman Chan, Vuk Krcmar-Grkavac; Chen Yimei

Buro Happold International

Atkins

MVA

SWA Group

Former company

Horton Lee Brogdon Lighting Design (HLB)

Acoustic Spatial Vision (SSV)

Fischer Dachs Associates (FDA)

2×4

29,729 m

$347 million

December 2018

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