Beijing Performing Arts Centre / Schmidt Hammer Lassen + Perkins&Will

Architects: Perkins&Will, Schmidt Hammer Lassen
Area: 861112 ft²
Year: 2024
Photographs: Zhu Yumeng
Project Team: Schmidt Hammer Lassen and Perkins&Will
City: Tongzhou
Country: China

Beijing Performing Arts Centre, designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen and Perkins&Will, is a cultural landmark in Tongzhou, a historic port on the Grand Canal and Beijing’s eastern gateway. The complex includes an opera house, theater, concert hall, multipurpose hall, and outdoor stage. Inspired by Tongzhou’s history as a shipping and storage hub, the design references traditional canal-side storehouses and boat sails while evoking a theater curtain opening. A unifying plinth extends the lobbies into the park, reinforcing connections between the interiors, landscape, and Grand Canal. The project integrates sustainable features, earning a China Three Star rating, with a high-performance building envelope and a district energy system powered primarily by ground-source heat pumps. A metro station below the park, along with integrated parking and retail spaces, enhances accessibility, while the open plinth provides panoramic views of Tongzhou and the Grand Canal.

Beijing performing arts centre / schmidt hammer lassen + perkins&will

China has unveiled a new performing arts complex in Tongzhou, a historic port on the Grand Canal and the eastern gateway to Beijing. Designed by the combined Shanghai studio of Perkins&Will and Schmidt Hammer Lassen, with landscaping by SLA, the Beijing Performing Arts Centre serves as the anchor of Tongzhou’s newly designated cultural district, which includes a museum, a library, and extensive parklands. The complex features three world-class venues—an opera house, a theater, and a concert hall—along with a multipurpose hall and an outdoor stage. It is set to host hundreds of performances annually, ranging from traditional Chinese and Western operas to orchestral concerts, stage dramas, and dance productions.

Chief architect Chris Hardie describes the project as “containers for culture,” drawing inspiration from the historic storehouses that once stored materials and food for transport into Beijing. He explains that the design reinterprets these structures as cultural storehouses, serving as a focal point for both local and global artistic expression and highlighting Beijing’s commitment to the arts.

Designed to foster community engagement while enhancing the well-being of visitors and the environment, the project reflects the site’s rich history and promising future through a subtle poetic expression. The buildings, conceived as lanterns for the performing arts, pay homage to Tongzhou’s role as a commercial shipping and storage hub by referencing the rooflines of former canal-side storehouses and the sails of traditional boats. Their forms also evoke the image of a theater curtain parting at the start of a performance. A broad plinth, accessible from all directions via splayed steps and ramps, unifies the complex. This elevated platform extends the lobbies into the surrounding forested park, establishing a seamless connection between the interiors, the landscape, and the Grand Canal.

Project director Chao Chen explains that while each building is designed for a specific function, their forms remain complementary. He highlights the opera house as an example, noting that its interior is shaped to optimize acoustics. Together, the structures create a cohesive composition, evoking the image of lanterns glowing at the water’s edge.

The 2,000-kilometer-long Grand Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been constructed in sections since the 5th century B.C., serving as a crucial link between Beijing and South China. For millennia, it has played a vital role in shaping the nation’s culture and economy. Tongzhou District has historically functioned as a key trade hub along the canal, where goods arriving from the south were sorted and stored in warehouses before being transported to Beijing. In a reversal of this historic flow, the new performing arts complex will now attract residents and visitors from the city to the canal.

The design team integrated sustainable features throughout the project to support both human and ecosystem health, earning it a China Three Star rating for environmental performance. A high-performance building envelope, shaded by a perforated aluminum screen, reduces energy consumption by 20% beyond local code requirements. The buildings connect to a district energy system primarily powered by ground-source heat pumps, achieving a 60% renewable energy use rate. To maintain high indoor air quality, the HVAC system incorporates advanced filtration and carbon dioxide sensors in public areas. Water conservation measures include low-flow fixtures, while rainwater gardens and permeable pavements create a sponge-like landscape that absorbs and retains stormwater, minimizing flood risk. Furthermore, 100% reclaimed municipal greywater is used for landscape irrigation, road and garage cleaning, and toilet flushing, significantly reducing water consumption.

A dedicated metro station beneath the park, along with ground-level ramps and stairs, ensures convenient public access. The subterranean level houses parking, retail spaces, and a food and beverage complex interwoven with sunken gardens. The plinth remains open as an extension of the park, offering visitors panoramic views of Tongzhou and the Grand Canal. James Lu, regional director at Perkins&Will, highlights the significance of the project, emphasizing how the movement of people and the exchange of ideas within the Beijing Performing Arts Centre are reflected in the historic waterway. He describes the development as a testament to the city’s dedication to arts and culture.