The Hong Kong Opera Centre is a prestigious new venue dedicated to traditional Chinese Peking Opera. Its striking curved facade and reimagined Chinese moon gate entrance symbolize the gateway to Hong Kong’s emerging cultural and artistic hub, the West Kowloon Cultural District.
This iconic seven-story performance venue serves as a cultural sanctuary that seamlessly integrates drama, art, and a lively public space. It is devoted to preserving and promoting the rich heritage of traditional Chinese Peking Opera, supporting production, education, and research of this unique art form.
The lively facade of the opera center is made up of a modular fin system crafted from untreated nautical-grade aluminum tubes. These tubes are arranged in alternating patterns along the building, evoking the flickering lanterns hidden behind the beaded stage screens.
At the four corners of the building, metal panels fold back like curtains, directing light outward and inviting visitors to freely enter and exit the internal courtyard. This space hosts exhibitions, stalls, and workshops dedicated to celebrating the rich tradition of Chinese opera.
The concept of “qi,” or energy flow, is woven throughout the building’s design. This is embodied in the curved pathways, forms, and the arched entrance that leads into a multi-story circular atrium.
This innovative design places the large theater, which seats 1,073 people, at the top of the building, 27 meters above ground. This arrangement allows for an open atrium and public square below, while strategically isolating the auditorium from vibrations and noise from surrounding urban infrastructure. This creative solution also enables construction activities to proceed safely underneath and inside the theater, significantly reducing construction time.
Flanking the Grand Theatre are two outdoor sky gardens offering visitors panoramic views of Victoria Harbour. Below these gardens, spaces are dedicated to a 200-seat tea house theater, rehearsal rooms, educational and administrative facilities, lecture halls, and retail areas—all overlooking a naturally ventilated inner courtyard.
Exploded View
The Opera Center opened its doors in January 2019, establishing itself as a world-class performance venue that honors the cultural richness of Peking Opera through a bold contemporary design. It aims to engage new audiences and nurture future generations, while evolving alongside modern technologies such as BIM design.
Project Drawings:
Entrance Floor Plan
First Floor Plan
Second Floor Plan
Third Floor Plan
Roof Plan
South Elevation
North Elevation
East Elevation
West Elevation
Sectional View 1
Section 2
Section 3
Exploded View
Exploded View
Analysis Figure 1
Analysis Figure 2
Analysis Figure 3
Analysis Figure 4
Analysis Figure 5
Analysis Figure 6
Analysis Figure 7
Analysis Figure 8
Facade Details
Vertical Axonometric Drawing
Project Information:
Architect: Revery Architecture, RLP
Location: Hong Kong
Category: Opera House
Project Leads: Venelin Kokalov, Bing Thom
Building Area: 28,164 square meters
Project Year: 2018
Photographer: Ema Peter
Manufacturers: Otis, MEYER, Stile, Traxon, Kvadrat, Signify, DormaKaba, Autodesk, McNeel
Project Managers: Earle Briggs, Francis Yan, Ling Meng, Giles Hall, Johnnie Kuo, Kyle Chan, Daniel Gasser, Marcos Hui, April Wong, Culum Osbourne, Bibianka Fehr, Nicole Hu, Elaine Tong, Charles Leman, Chun Choy, Brian Ackerman, Ryan Shaban, Chapman Chan, Vuk Krcmar-Grkavac
Structural Engineer: Buro Happold International Ltd
Municipal Geothermal Consultant: Atkins
Transportation Consultant: MVA
Landscape Architect: SWA
Facade Consultant: Front Inc
Lighting Consultant: Hotron Lees Brogden Lighting Design
Acoustic Consultant: Sound Space Vision
Theater Consultant: Fischer Dachs Associates
Identity Consultant: 2×4
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