Schmidt Hammer Lassen

Sitting along the banks of the UNESCO Heritage listed site in Beijing, the Beijing Performing Arts Center desires to revive the bustling waterfront and provide spaces for valuable interactions and world-class performances.

Connected by a platform, the three buildings each house a different type of performance venue, a Concert Hall, Opera House and Playhouse. The project weaves the history and cultural tapestry of the site into new forms by sculpting monolithic volumes that resemble historical storehouses that once occupied the banks of the Grand Canal as it leads into the Chinese capital.

The historical context of the site has directly informed the design of the Beijing Performing Arts Center. Thus, the traditional storehouses, which used to dominate the areas along the canal, are evident in the sloping roofs of the new structures. Additionally, the new buildings are wrapped in a pleated fanned skin echoing the iconic sails of the original transportation boats of the Grand Canal and the activity within is revealed like the raising of a stage curtain.

Appearing as three ship lanterns at night, the three volumes are conceived as ‘containers of culture’, representing a regional reversal for the famous district of Tongzhou. In a new vision for the expansion of Beijing, the Beijing Performing Arts Center brings citizens to the site offering a world-class venue for opera, performing arts and music.