Zaha Hadid Architects has shared photos of its newly inaugurated Zhuhai Jinwan Civic Art Centre in southern China. 

The project integrates three separate facilities for art, scientific education, and culture into one coherent design with a 1,200-seat grand theater, 500-seat Black Box theater, science center, and art museum arranged symmetrically on a central axis. 

A central plaza area bifurcates the larger and smaller venues of the design while serving as the connective foyer of all three new spaces. All five buildings at the site are supported by just 22 columns that were fabricated off-site in two varieties. 

The separate functions of the center are further woven together via the network of reticulated shells forming the roof structure, which also evokes the chevron form of migratory bird patterns in the region while covering the complex's four wings. Additional public spaces were also created at the site thanks to the careful placement of voids and other footbridges that add layers to the plaza while providing views of the interior spaces and promenades beyond.

All three venues are purposefully designed to repeat the geometries of the roof structure inside. The art museum is defined by a vertical ribbon-like circulation route dotted with exhibition space. The science center is anchored with a main lecture hall space designed to showcase scientific innovation and discoveries, and, finally, the Grand Theater utilizes angled ceiling panels to best optimize its acoustics for the highest standard of musical performance.

The design is placed on a podium that emerges from ZhongXin Lake, which combines with the landscape program to help push Zhuhai’s ‘sponge city’ initiative towards its stated goal of re-use and storage of 70% of the yearly rainfall.

An external outdoor amphitheater space completes the project at the site’s western side. The total footprint is 494,000 square feet. 

The firm says it expects its Zhuhai Jinwan Civic Art Centre project to obtain the highest environmental ratings possible under China's Green Building Evaluation Standard. 

ZHA has also completed cultural projects in Chengdu and Guangdong in recent months. The forthcoming Jinghe New City Culture & Art Center and unnamed Singapore science center design are also expected in the region in the next year or so.