
'changsha culture and art center' by coop himmelb(l)au, changsha, hunan, china
image © ISOCHROM / coop himmelb(l)au architecture
coophimmelb(l)au's proposal for the international culture and art center along the the meixi lake posits architecture-as-object, arranged like
precious parts of urban chinese garden. the rapidly developing area at the foothills is flanked by water and a burgeoning metropolis. the proposal
seeks to thicken the landscape with undulating architectural forms containing recreational facilities. traditional elements of chinese gardens like
stones, hills, bridges and flowers are abstracted and transformed in scale so as to animate the urban shapes of the daheexi district. rooftops become
landscapes and pedestrian networks. a sweeping waterfront promenade closes the gap between east and west while orchestrating circulation toward
a generous, theater-front plaza. an interior 'grand foyer' contains a system of bridges, stairs and platforms that create a performative pre-stage to
the layered opera house. despite the ultimate selection of zaha hadid's proposal, coophimmelb(l)au was one of five firms invited to submit a
design for the megaplex in changsha.

a view of the sweeping, connective promenade and green-topped complex
image © ISOCHROM / coop himmelb(l)au architecture

the grand foyer is characterized by a theatrical network of stairs and bridges
image © ISOCHROM / coop himmelb(l)au architecture

the theater contains twisting leading to an ample stage
image © ISOCHROM / coop himmelb(l)au architecture

grand theater interior
image © ISOCHROM / coop himmelb(l)au

model
image © coop himmelb(l)au

site plan
image © coop himmelb(l)au

site strategy
image © coop himmelb(l)au

section
image © coop himmelb(l)au
project info:
competition: 2011
gross floo r area: 416 500m²
client:changsha meixihu industrial co., ltd.
structure:b+g ingenieure / bollinger und grohmann gmbh, prof. klaus bollinger
acoustics:M BBM
mep:buro happold ltd, bath,uk; steve mace