Currently under construction, the Zaha Hadid Architects-designed Zhuhai Jinwan Civic Art Centre will soon provide the southern Chinese city with a stunning new hub for contemporary creativity. Located on a lake in the heart of Zhuhai’s Western Ecological New Town in the Jinwan district, the sculptural building combines four cultural institutions under one roof: a 1,200-seat grand theater; a 500-seat multifunctional hall; a science center; and an art museum. Built with prefabricated construction and energy-efficient technologies, the building will adhere to Zhuhai’s “sponge city” initiative for responsible stormwater management and is expected to achieve two stars within China’s Green Building Evaluation Standard.
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Slated for completion this year after four years of development, the Zhuhai Jinwan Civic Art Centre draws the eye with its latticed steel roof canopy that takes inspiration from the chevron patterns of migratory birds in southern China. The sculptural roof structure is constructed from prefabricated modules that are self-supporting, self-stabilizing and repeated across the entire canopy. Perforated aluminum panels in the canopy provide external solar shading.
Related: Historic Zhuhai sugar factory to be reborn as a low-carbon cultural hub
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The four cultural institutions are arranged symmetrically around a central outdoor plaza. The larger grand theater and art museum venues will feature a lighter color palette than the smaller multifunctional hall and science center, which will be built with a darker palette of materials. Circulation, which includes interconnecting bridges and voids, emphasize connection with the surrounding promenades and civic spaces, including an external amphitheater on the west side of the center.
To achieve two stars within China’s Green Building Evaluation Standard, the building’s structural components prioritize recycled materials, and the envelope will be wrapped in double-insulated glazing. Intelligent building controls and air quality sensors will automatically adjust the center’s interior environments for user comfort and energy savings. The landscaping and surrounding lake will use aquatic flora and fauna to naturally filter contaminates, and water-saving irrigation systems and stormwater management strategies will store and reuse runoff. Waste heat recovery systems will also help reduce water usage.
Photography by Minmud, Slashcube and Methanoia via Zaha Hadid Architects
