Macau feels rather gloomy these days, what with the grey, muggy weather and the economic uncertainty that is enveloping us, especially when it comes to the property sector. But there’s a ray of sunshine ….
One only needs to look just across the border to see some incredible building feats being accomplished, which gives one a welcome ray of sunshine in the hope that that someone, somewhere does have a master plan for this region that will bring positive benefits to the folks living here and ensure that Macau will not become a forgotten outpost resigned to failing fortunes of a once prosperous gaming town.
Six years ago this month, on 28 April 2010 to be precise, an official opening ceremony took place on a 50,000 sq feet plot of reclaimed land attached to Yeli island, opposite the main seafront of Zhuhai. Construction got underway on one of four cultural projects involving a total expenditure of more than two billion Yuan. The projects represent the largest investment in this sector since the city was established as a Special Economic Zone in 1980.
Of the four projects, the Zhuhai Opera House is the largest and most ambitious. It involves an investment of 1.718 billion yuan. Professor Keshi Chen, lead design architect spoke with considerable candor and wit about this spectacular building at a recent Business Luncheon in Macau.
He captivated his audience with stories of how he and his design team came to be selected for this hugely important landmark for Zhuhai. “I first visited Zhuhai about 9 years ago having been invited to join a committee to select a site”. One was finally settled upon. “Within 10 days of opening the project for architectural design submissions over 50 firms applied.” He found himself sitting next to the Chairman of the selection Committee who encouraged him to throw his hat in the ring and make a submission himself. “I had no experience in building opera houses, but the idea intrigued me … I kept asking myself ‘What shape of a building will rise from the sea?’”
He regaled his audience with the thought processes he went through in coming up with his design. He referred to other famous opera houses such as the ones in Sydney and in Copenhagen. His first concept designs were based on a sun rise. Then needing two sections to the building, it became a sun and a moon. He was clearly fascinated with the challenge …“It was pure fantasy” he smiled. Then one of his students mentioned a scallop shell – a beautiful shape, and the site being near the sea, it seemed to make sense, and this then formed the genesis of the building as it is today. And by coincidence, the Chinese translation of the Asian Scallop is ‘The Sun and Moon Scallop’!
After 2 weeks of having submitted his designs, his team of 30 from the China Urban Design Research Centre (CUDRC) of Beijing University was selected in the top 9; after a further 2 weeks they were shortlisted in the top 3. “We won 2nd place. We were already delighted with this achievement and were celebrating our success!” Then when the designs were presented to the general public someone pointed out that the winner’s designs were an exact copy of a building in Hawaii. They were pulled from the competition and to Professor Chen and his team’s amazement, their 2nd place became first!
“This is the first time that a Chinese firm has won a contest involving international bids. We won for three reasons – our creative and artistic input and our connection to the place.”
Completion is being planned for 1 July 2016. It will be the tallest opera house in the World. The design is of two shells – one standing at 90 meters high, the other at 60 meter high. It will have a concert hall with 1,550 seats, plus a lobby, an auditorium and a stage; this will host large-scale performances, such as symphonies, chamber music, opera, ballet, musicals and theatre. There will be a small theatre with 500 seats, for smaller artistic events as well as fashion shows, art promotions and corporate meetings. It will have state-of-the-art acoustics and stage technical design. Above the concert hall, there will also be a floor for sightseeing, a bar and restaurant, and fashion events.
The façade of the big shell will be covered with an LED lighting system which will enable a representation of the opera being shown inside to be also viewed by passersby.
“There have been risks and challenges all along; we were often told the project may have to be stopped, it was getting too expensive, but we continued to struggle on and solve problems. Disarmingly frank, Professor Chen admitted that the costs are quadruple the original budget. But the local government had great belief in the project. Already it is a striking sight, the large shell rising out of the sea from its island. “In the future, it will become a landmark of the city like the Opera House in Sydney, a place for tourists to visit and photograph as well as a venue for performances.”
In addition to the Opera House are the Zhuhai Museum, the Urban Planning Exhibition Hall and the Cultural Centre. “The four buildings will be of great significance in improving the culture and soft power of Zhuhai,” said Lei Yulan, vice-governor of Guandong province, at the laying of the foundation stone.
