The Egg - an optical illusionPaul Andreu, National Center for the Performing Arts - Peking, China

I was just browsing my Facebook page when i came across this photo posted by 'Architecture in Mapolis' and thought WOW! -

Here is what it says on the website about the building -

Eight years it took the National Center for the Performing Arts by Paul Andreu to get built, constantly accompanied by the critics’ concerns.

The National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing has received a unique architectural shape through the well-made deployment of water. The semi-oval visually becomes full through the reflection in the water – it turns into an egg or a water drop, respectively.

In order to get this effect, an artificial lake was built in the middle of which the theater has found its place.

Building with Obstacles

French architect Paul Andreu did not only designed a modern shape, but also emphasized this new form by carefully selecting the materials. Through the combination of titanium, glass and water, the National Theater appears like a spaceship when looking at it for the first time rather than a theater. Exactly this futurism has been heavily criticized, since the theater is located amidst old, traditional architecture.

The architect’s idea was, however, that Beijing needs to have this modern architecture apart from its traditional one, and that the building requires a high recognition value. Also the increasing costs of the theater resulted in heavy debates. The main reason for this increase was the building freeze after Paris airport had collapsed, since it has also been designed by Paul Andreu. All in all, the theater’s construction period lasted for eight years. Together with the very high prices for water treatment, this results in that each seat of the all in all 5,452 seats has a value of approx. 50,000 Euros.

The Theater

The theater was completed in 2007 and has a size of 12,000 m².

The deployment of the titanium façade has been chosen in a way that it appears like an opened stage curtain when looking at it from outside, allowing to get a glimpse of what’s going on inside through the glass façade at the front. Especially at night the “drop” displays its architectural peculiarity. Through the reflection of the building and the illumination in the water it reminds of a sunken treasure. The entrances have been placed below the surface, so that the theater seems to downright float on the water – just like a water drop.

Inside, the theater offers three halls with various functionalities, an opera hall, a theater hall and a music hall. The view from inside the reception hall to the outside leads across a free water surface onto the city’s old downtown area.

Thus, the National Center for the Performing Arts is considered an architectural work of art despite all the criticism and finds a suitable place in the list of 21st century architecture.

I love the optical illusion that the lake causes, and the materials used on the building. This is very modern and reminds me of The Sage Gatesheads exterior.