The Xiqu Centre is scheduled for completion in 2017. A modern home for Chinese Opera, the Xiqu Centre will be the first venue to open within the West Kowloon Cultural District, Hong Kong’s new cultural precinct.

The building is conceived as a cultural sanctuary; a blend of theatre, art, and public space, and a place for contemplation and celebration. Like the soft glow of a lantern behind a beaded curtain, light will emanate from four main openings and a series of lightboxes that are distributed along the building’s elevation. As the gateway to the new West Kowloon Cultural District, the Xiqu Centre provides a striking entrance to the cultural district by reinterpreting the traditional Chinese Moongate motif within a dynamic facade. “Qi” or flow is expressed throughout the complex with curvilinear paths and forms.

The internal configuration of the project is facilitated by the design decision to lift the main theatre, the heart of the Xiqu Center, off the ground. This design move enables the creation of a large courtyard plaza at grade that serves to welcome visitors and provides a distinctive destination or meeting place. Another advantage to suspending the main theater is to create a quiet space suitable for opera. This is achieved by isolating the theater from the vibration and high ambient noise levels that includes the Austin Station (MTR) below the site, the proposed LRT on site, and the two above ground major roadways.

In response to the unique nature of the Xiqu Opera art form, the acoustics of the main theatre room have been designed to support the natural voice by encouraging earlier reflection, from acoustically reflective ceiling, to audience below and by targeting the room reverberation time. Variable acoustic devices, including acoustic curtains and banners, will ensure clarity of sound for amplified performances.

The main theatre, with panoramic views of Victoria Harbour and the city beyond, is flanked by two outdoor sky gardens. Below the raised theatre are rehearsal spaces, education spaces, administration, back of house, teahouse theatre, lecture rooms, and retail areas overlooking the central inner courtyard.