The Guangzhou Opera House was a project undertaken by London based Zahad Hadid Architects. It is part of a larger project for the cultural development of the city, including libraries, museums and other buildings of public interest.
Located by the side of the Pearl River, the design concept follows the natural geographical features of a river bank with the undulating shapes and erosion commonly found there. The double boulder shaped structure contains two main venues. The larger of the two, the Opera House, seats 1.800 in the huge auditorium while the smaller one seats 400 and will be used as a multi-purpose space housing not only opera but also concerts and exhibitions of art. A variety of lobbies and cafes are also to be found there.
The sustainability of the building is aided by the interior design which contains features which allow natural ventilation and lighting to enter the structure. The external appearance of natural flow and continuity are also apparent in the interior by the use of seamless fibre-glass gypsum as a finishing material.
