Strategically developed to benefit the entire Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Hengqin Culture & Art Complex will have Full public access by July 2025.
Yunchao Xu and his team at Atelier Apeiron reveal their transformative vision for the Hengqin Culture & Art Complex, a monumental 142,560-square-meter project designed to become a cultural anchor in one of China’s most rapidly evolving urban centers.
Strategically developed to benefit the entire Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, this vast architectural endeavor positions culture, innovation, and public engagement at the core of regional development.
On September 14, 2024, the Hengqin Culture & Art Complex was officially introduced to the public through a spectacular lighting ceremony, beginning its soft opening phase. This momentous debut aligned with the third anniversary of the creation of the Hengqin Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone, reinforcing the building’s role in symbolizing regional unity and forward-looking urban development. Full public access is expected by July 2025.
Hengqin Island, nestled between the Pearl River Delta and the South China Sea, has witnessed a decade of unprecedented investment and transformation since receiving national government approval for development. Billions of dollars have fueled this large-scale initiative, known as the ‘Hengqin New Area.’
Just steps from Macau and a short distance by sea from Hong Kong, this 106-square-kilometer landmass is being shaped into a global hub for cultural exchange, creative industries, and academic innovation.
Atelier Apeiron’s design proposal was selected in 2018 through a national competition. The project brief called for a future-focused cultural district that would stand out in China’s third-fastest growing urban zone. Their winning concept prioritized architectural innovation and environmental sensitivity across nine distinctive blocks, forming the core of the Hengqin Culture & Art Complex.
Designing in a region prone to powerful summer typhoons brought unique technical demands. A critical aspect was selecting materials capable of withstanding high winds while maintaining visual lightness.
The team ultimately chose a flexible suspended glass curtain wall system to create an elegant yet resilient exterior. Equally challenging was the introduction of natural light into the expansive interior volumes, a problem addressed through precision lighting strategies and structural geometry.
The location’s subtropical, island-specific geology further complicated the foundation work. Layers of unstable silt required inventive engineering, leading to the creation of a sealed basement with deep-set anchoring systems to ensure structural integrity. Spanning from the northern hills to the southern riverside, the complex’s sweeping catenary silhouette now defines a new, instantly recognizable skyline.
This landmark endeavor exemplifies Atelier Apeiron’s commitment to collaborative, multidisciplinary design. The studio partnered with experts across various scientific fields—climatology, botany, acoustics, materials engineering—to craft a cultural campus that balances aesthetics, sustainability, and engineering. With the Hengqin Culture & Art Complex, Yunchao Xu and his firm redefine what large-scale architectural projects can accomplish in both form and cultural purpose.
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