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Next to Tianenman Square and The Great Hall of the People sits the National Centre for Performing Arts, one of many brand new grand structures meant to monumentalize China’s move to international prominance. Paul Andreu’s design is often called “the egg.”
A titanium and glass shell opens like a curtain to reveal interior space, public space in the sunlight and concealed space in shadow. The opera house has 2416 seats, the concert hall has 2017 seats, and two theaters each have 1040 seats. The building is often described as an “egg,” an appropriate euphamism for China’s self-perceived rise to power. The more appropriate imagery, however, is perhaps a cultural island in a sea of water. Andreu, a French architect, conceived a transparent city in a man-made lake in the city-center. The public entrances go under the lake before reaching the glass city. This is a quite interesting view of China’s ambitions: after passing controversial Tianenman Square, the people must pass through waters before reaching the ideal transparency and honestly they so desire. |
(sanfamedia.com– flickr/creative commons license)
(sanfamedia.com– flickr/creative commons license)
(sanfamedia.com– flickr/creative commons license)
(Azure Lan– flickr/creative commons license)
