Travel to Beijing and there are many buildings that will catch your eye. A China Tour will allow you to experience the rejuvenation of a nation that is steeped in great history. During the period of the Opium War in 1840 to the final establishment of People’s Republic of China in 1949, Chinese architecture has witnessed a blend in Chinese style and western style. Although the traditional Chinese architectural system still retained the prevailing style, buildings serving for the entertainment industry, such as theaters, restaurants, and hotels, as well as the business buildings, such as department stores, food market and so on, all made breakthroughs out of the traditional architecture style and succeeded in building up business sites in a combination of Chinese and Western elements.
The National Centre for Performing Arts in the Centre of Beijing is one of those iconic buildings that have broken through the mold and produced a structure that is new, exciting and increasingly resembling of western architecture. The main construction of the building is formed via a very unique shell shape that is 47 meters high. The shape of the building is the only one of its kind in Asia. The exterior of the theater is clad in titanium-accented glass that is completely surrounded by a man-made lake. This makes it looks like an egg floating on water from the air. It was designed as an iconic feature and something that would be instantly recognizable all over the world just like the Sydney Opera House.
Located in the middle of Beijing adjacent to Tian’anmen Square, Great Hall of People and The Forbidden City, it is in the hub of a touristic location. However, this caused much controversy amongst locals and the government as this futuristic and modern is juxtaposition very traditional and ancient Chinese monuments that behold the beauty of China’s Heritage. However, the architect Paul Andreu tried to design with large open spaces, water, trees, and it was specially aimed to complement the red walls of ancient buildings and the Great Hall of People in order to melt into the surroundings as opposed to boldly standing abrupt against them.
Further controversy was caused when the building cost rose from what was expected to be 2.7 billion RMB to a finished grand total of 3.2 billion RMB. The major cause of the cost increase was a delay for reevaluation and subsequent minor changes as a precaution after a Paris airport terminal building collapsed. The cost has been a major source of controversy because many believed that it is nearly impossible to recover the investment. The government for the first three years subsidized 80% of the operating, maintenance, and general usage costs, and now that amount has fallen to around 60%. Much of the revenue is being reinvested into theses operational costs and therefore it has become a non-profitable cause.
Used for many performing arts exhibitions and theatre shows the centre is becoming an increasingly popular venue in Beijing. The magnificence of the building outweighs the controversy it has created, and it is a must see attraction. So book your Beijing Tours and witness a piece of China’s growing architectural promise.
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