Construction of Beijing National Grand Theater "Eggshell" completed

HelloFromBeijing · #1 Posted **May 18, 2007, 3:50 PM**

Responsible for the construction of National Grand Theater, Beijing No.2 city-construction Co. released the news on the 16th of May, The contruction of two southern and northern exits were almost finished. Between them, a big arch bridge will be built up. At present, it is estimated that National theater will recruit more than 315 staffs.

National Theater was designed by the French architect, Paulo Andrew.

According to French architect Paul Andrew, after the construction is completed, the Grand Theater will look like a huge green park with an oval and silver grand theater encircled by green water. The shell, made of titanium metal and glass together with day and night lights will add radiance and beauty to each other, and have fast-changing colors. The surroundings of the Grand Theater are semi-transparent, golden netted glass walls. People can see the sky inside the building through its dome. Some people describe the complete Grand Theater as "a crystal drop of water", other people call it a "big egg shell" or "boiled egg".

Covering a total area of 118,900 square meters, the Grand Theater has a total floor space of 149,500 square meters. It is equipped with accessory facilities including halls for opera, music, drama, art exhibitions, as well as an art exchange center, and audio and video store. Opera, dancing and ballet will be mainly presented in the opera hall, which can accommodate an audience of 2,416. The Music Hall, which can accommodate 2,017, will mainly present large orchestral work and folk music. Drama and local opera including Peking opera will be staged in the drama hall.

At the northern side of the Grand Theater there will be an underground parking lot, which can hold almost 1,000 motor vehicles and 1,400 more bicycles. It can be used as an accessory facility for the Grand Theater and as a public facility in the Tian'anmen Square area.

It will be China's top arts performance center and a first class art palace.

(Sorry for some of my poor translation work).

(source: Creader News)

National Grand Theater will open to the public soon

Lake circulated around National Grand Theater.

People's Congress Hall next to National Grand Theater

Which one is more spectabulous, Forbidden City or National Grand Theater?

Dalton · #2 Posted **May 18, 2007, 8:26 PM**

I vote for the Forbidden City as the more "spectabulous".

Stephenapolis · #3 Posted **May 18, 2007, 9:34 PM**

Forbidden City is far superior to the bubble. I am sorry but the bubble looks very cheap.

Dalton · #4 Posted **May 18, 2007, 10:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephenapolis

Forbidden City is far superior to the bubble. I am sorry but the bubble looks very cheap.

I agree. Reminds me of an indoor golf driving range more than a national theater.

SpeedoPro · #5 Posted **May 18, 2007, 11:23 PM**

i know this is a grand project, but i was expecting more.. the egg shell does look cheap.

DanJ · #6 Posted **May 23, 2007, 1:24 AM**

yea..... what up with that. its ugly to begin with, and its even worse since it doesnt fit in with the surroundings at all...

beanhead4529 · #7 Posted **May 23, 2007, 3:20 AM**

the thing looks like a giant gray pimple. i'm suprised people would let something like this be built near the Forbidden City.

Lecom · #8 Posted **May 23, 2007, 8:55 PM**

It's tempting to deride this one, yet somehow I like its extreme simplicity a lot. It does not look half as bad when you consider the mediocre structures that already surround the Forbidden City.

JManc · #9 Posted **May 24, 2007, 8:04 AM**

i like it.

JOVIMECARCH · #10 Posted **May 24, 2007, 5:49 PM**

amazing!

zilfondel · #11 Posted **May 26, 2007, 6:49 AM**

Wow! Such geometrical precision to make something like that. It's... strangely perfect in its uniform color and materiality, yet at the same time sagging under its own weight. Are they still going to build the glass underwater entrance?

Muji · #12 Posted **May 28, 2007, 11:09 AM**

Wow, another reason renderings can rarely be trusted.

staff · #13 Posted **May 28, 2007, 3:08 PM**

It's amazing and just huge in person. Very impressive.

R@ptor · #14 Posted **May 28, 2007, 5:11 PM**

It's nice and all, but I just wish they would have built it elsewhere. It looks horrible next to the Forbidden City and the Great Hall of the People. They should have built it in Chaoyang instead.

Jularc · #15 Posted **Jun 5, 2007, 6:28 AM**

I think that looks quite good actually! I approve.

Jularc · #16 Posted **Jun 5, 2007, 6:30 AM**

Ok I found this rendering...

philip · #17 Posted **Jun 5, 2007, 9:02 PM**

So, it has an underwater tunnel that links the entrance to the building, right? Any pictures?

Jularc · #18 Posted **Jun 6, 2007, 5:03 AM**

Here is a bigger photo I found by Heliocide

x.man · #19 Posted **Jun 17, 2007, 9:48 PM**

I took a look at this building back in March, and it works in Beijing. Beijing is so massive and spread out...anything smaller than this would seem trivial. Considering this is a central (THE central) spae for performing arts in Beijing and China, the location, the scale, and the use of technology are all very appropriate.

That being said, I don't think other cities need to reinvent the egg in their own downtowns. This works as a special icon specific to Beijing.

Stratosphere · #20 Posted **Jun 18, 2007, 9:04 AM**

This looks like an indoor arena than a national theater. When you think about "national theaters", you think about artistically structured buildings. This is not one of those, at least from the exterior.