Vivid ‘Volcanoes’ Blend Into Tropics At Outlandish New Performing Arts Center

British-based Heatherwick Studio has won a bid to build the forthcoming Hainan Performing Arts Center in China, envisioning a tropical landmark in the new cultural quarter of the island’s capital, Haikou.

Taking inspiration from the island’s volcanic landscape and the colors, movement, and costumes of Hainanese Opera, the center will feature three distinct performing arts spaces, including an opera house, a concert hall, and a theater.

“Many opera houses are cut off from their surroundings and only come to life when a performance is on. We wanted to create a space that is an extension of the city and will contribute to life on the street throughout the day,” remarked Eliot Postma, Group Leader at Heatherwick Studio.

As such, the team designed the space to incorporate canopy shelters forming an open-air village, blending both the luxury of performing arts with the laidback nature of island life.

In total, the center will be able to host 3,800 attendees, and will stage large-scale productions from operas to ballets, avant-garde drama, and even immersive multimedia performances.

Work on the site is slated to start at the end of the year.

[via New Atlas and Heatherwick Studio, images via Heatherwick Studio / Devisual]