Zaha Hadid Architects' amazing new civic art center is now under construction in China

The Zhuhai Jinwan Civic Art Center, designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA), is currently forming in southern China. The project is designed as a huge cultural center serving the region by introducing incredible new civic programs. Each of the arts center's four pavilions includes unique building programs. It houses an art museum, science center, 500-seat auditorium for various events, and a 1,200-seat theater. These four community facilities are linked together by a central public space and connected by bridges on either side of the waterfront.

It was important to celebrate each of these new milestones while creating a unified visual language for the monumental structure. ZHA explains, “By replicating the chevron patterns of migratory birds that fly in formation over southern China, interlocking steel parachutes are ubiquitous through repetition, symmetry, and range diversity,” creating related elements that respond to different shapes. Functional requirements for each building.

The design language makes the project a recognized landmark and meets the technical requirements of the construction program while also facilitating the construction process. The company describes "each self-supporting and self-stabilizing roof building unit". "Duplication of modules improves prefabrication, pre-assembly and modular construction use."

Interconnectedness and openness is an important part of the aesthetic of the project, from the towering glass façades to the futuristic bridges that welcome you to the site. The raised figure is an abstraction of birds migrating across the country. This is an apt comparison given that this building serves as a hub for innovation and connectivity. Its location at the heart of the new environmental development in Jinwan County unites the project with transportation hubs such as the New Zhuhai Intercity Railway, which connects passengers from other major cities in China.

The building includes some "green" considerations that allow the arts center to be more environmentally friendly. Its enclosure is designed with double insulating glass and is protected by a cantilever roof, which helps reduce the amount of sun entering the project and thus reduce the amount of energy required to cool the building. The panels are also carefully designed with the same consideration for solar heat gain. Other environmentally friendly design features include plans to reuse rainwater with natural filtration systems and reduce water use through advanced soil moisture sensors.

To see more amazing projects by Zaha Hadid Architects and learn about "Queen of the Curve" itself, you can read our bio of Hadid and our favorite projects from ZHA.

New photos have been released for Zaha Hadid's stunning Zhuhai Jinwan Civic Art Center, which is currently still under construction.

Each of the Arts Center's four pavilions houses unique building programs including an art museum, science center, 500-seat auditorium for various events, and a 1,200-seat theater.

The building's soaring wings represent bird migration, an apt comparison to the highly connected and transparent cultural center.