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Harbin Opera House

CHN Bamboo

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Embedded within Harbin’s wetlands, the Harbin Opera House was designed in response to the force and spirit of the northern city’s untamed wilderness and frigid climate. Appearing as if sculpted by wind and water, the building seamlessly blends in with nature and the topography—a transfusion of local identity, art, and culture. “We envision Harbin Opera House as a cultural center of the future – a tremendous performance venue, as well as a dramatic public space that embodies the integration of human, art and the city identity, while synergistically blending with the surrounding nature,” said Ma Yansong, founding principal, MAD Architects.

On the exterior, the architecture references the sinuous landscape of the surrounding area. The resulting curvilinear façade composed of smooth white aluminum panels becomes the poetry of edge and surface, softness and sharpness. The journey begins upon crossing the bridge onto Harbin Cultural Island, where the undulating architectural mass wraps a large public plaza, and during winter months, melts into the snowy winter environment.
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The architectural procession choreographs a conceptual narrative, one that transforms visitors into performers. Upon entering the grand lobby, visitors will see large transparent glass walls spanning the grand lobby, visually connecting the curvilinear interior with the swooping façade and exterior plaza. Soaring above, a crystalline glass curtain wall soars over the grand lobby space with the support of a lightweight diagrid structure. Comprised of glass pyramids, the surface alternates between smooth and faceted, referencing the billowing snow and ice of the frigid climate. Visitors are greeted with the simple opulence of natural light and material sensation—all before taking their seat.

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Presenting a warm and inviting element, the grand theater is clad in rich wood, emulating a wooden block that has been gently eroded away. Sculpted from Manchurian Ash, the wooden walls gently wrap around the main stage and theater seating. From the proscenium to the mezzanine balcony the grand theater’s use of simple materials and spatial configuration provides world-class acoustics. The grand theater is illuminated in part by a subtle skylight that connects the audience to the exterior and the passing of time.

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Within the second, smaller theater, the interior is connected seamlessly to the exterior by the large, panoramic window behind the performance stage. This wall of sound-proof glass provides a naturally scenic backdrop for performances and activates the stage as an extension of the outdoor environment, inspiring production opportunities.

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Harbin Opera House emphasizes public interaction and participation with the building. Both ticketholders and the general public alike can explore the façade’s carved paths and ascend the building as if traversing local topography. At the apex, visitors discover an open, exterior performance space that serves as an observation platform for visitors to survey the panoramic views of Harbin’s metropolitan skyline and the surrounding wetlands below. Upon descent, visitors return to the expansive public plaza, and are invited to explore the grand lobby space.

Surpassing the complex opera house typology, MAD articulates an architecture inspired by nature and saturated in local identity, culture and art. As the Harbin Opera House deepens the emotional connection of the public with the environment, the architecture is consequently theatrical in both its performance of narrative spaces and its context within the landscape.

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Very beautiful and stunning!

There are more and more of these buildings in China. It seems to me that there is a sort of competition among the cities in China to have the best buildings.

“We envision Harbin Opera House as a cultural center of the future – a tremendous performance venue, as well as a dramatic public space that embodies the integration of human, art and the city identity, while synergistically blending with the surrounding nature,” said Ma Yansong, founding principal, MAD Architects.

I hope his vision comes true.

Harbin Opera House emphasizes public interaction and participation with the building. Both ticketholders and the general public alike can explore the façade’s carved paths and ascend the building as if traversing local topography. At the apex, visitors discover an open, exterior performance space that serves as an observation platform for visitors to survey the panoramic views of Harbin’s metropolitan skyline and the surrounding wetlands below. Upon descent, visitors return to the expansive public plaza, and are invited to explore the grand lobby space.

This could be a tourist attraction for Harbin just like the Sydney Opera House in Australia.

The following are my impressions:-

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This looks like a shellfish which blends with the surrounding wetlands.

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This reminds me of a basket, but classic.

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The face of a person wearing a white hat. He is singing which is appropriate for an opera house.

Stunning! Stunning! Stunning!
 
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hey bro
sorry but i havent been there yet i will try someday next samester dont wanna go out in this winter, cold in harbin is killing me lol
:-)I know that Harbin is colder than Wuhan and

the temperature in Harbin is around -15℃ while Pakistan around 15℃,is it correct?

Are you studying in Harbin Institute of Technology?:D(哈尔滨工业大学)

**Travellers from South China usually visit Harbin during winter,it's said that the travellers enjoy ice sculpture there and skiing.However you can't stand the temperature,so you may have lost a lot of chances:cool:
 
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:-)I know that Harbin is colder than Wuhan and

the temperature in Harbin is around -15℃ while Pakistan around 15℃,is it correct?

Are you studying in Harbin Institute of Technology?:D(哈尔滨工业大学)

**Travellers from South China usually visit Harbin during winter,it's said that the travellers enjoy ice sculpture there and skiing.However you can't stand the temperature,so you may have lost a lot of chances:cool:
ohh man i went to wuhan it was too humid, and harbin is much colder, the temperature for this week is around -25.
and no i am not studing in HIT i am studing in another university. and the ice or snow festival is great i have been there :)
 
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Local architect learn really fast.

It used to be USA and Europe architect that able to design such building.

Chinese interior designers won a lot of award last year, I guess for the next years it will be for the building designers.

Mastering technology to build it, then design it, I guess 2020, despite in term of income China is still a developing country, but it feel like developed country equal to USA and Europe. Not to mention decades after that, a futuristic country perhaps?
 
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