zha opens cultural venue on songshan lake waterfront
ZHA opens the Songshan Lake Exhibition and Performance Centre in Dongguan, China, inaugurating the venue with a performance by the China National Symphony Orchestra. Located at the heart of a mixed-use masterplan on the Yuehe Lake waterfront, the center is designed as a civic and cultural destination that brings together performance, exhibition, and public spaces for the growing community of the city.
Drawing on Dongguan’s cultural heritage, the project takes inspiration from Cantonese Opera, an art form with roots in the region dating back more than 700 years. The sweeping volumes that form the building reference the flowing ‘water sleeves’ worn by performers, creating a composition of interconnected forms that rise toward the main theater and exhibition hall.
all images by Virgile Simon Bertrand, courtesy of ZHA
cantonese opera and lingnan architecture inform the design
The roof of the center extends outward in a series of broad overhangs informed by the upturned eaves of traditional Lingnan architecture. These shaded outdoor areas help mediate Dongguan’s humid subtropical climate while connecting interior spaces to a public plaza, garden terraces, and a waterfront promenade overlooking Songshan Lake.
The project includes a 1,200-seat Grand Theatre, a 400-seat Multifunction Hall, and exhibition facilities capable of hosting performances, conferences, industry events, and cultural programming throughout the year. The venue’s opening also coincides with the practice’s recent transition from Zaha Hadid Architects to ZHA, following the conclusion of its licensing agreement with the Zaha Hadid Foundation.
prefabricated ultra-high-performance concrete cladding wraps the building’s exterior
acoustic engineering shapes the grand theatre interior
Inside the Grand Theatre, walls and ceilings are lined with approximately 100,000 slender acoustic spines that vary in length, density, and tone. Designed to diffuse sound, control reverberation, and reduce standing waves, the installation helps maintain consistent acoustic performance throughout the auditorium while creating a textured interior landscape.
The project also incorporates prefabricated ultra-high-performance concrete cladding cast from reusable molds, reducing construction waste and shortening installation time. Photovoltaic panels, rainwater harvesting systems, and permeable landscape surfaces contribute to the environmental strategy of the building, while restored wetlands along the waterfront support local biodiversity and help mitigate flood risk.
As a new cultural anchor for the Songshan Lake district, the centre combines performance, exhibition, and public space within a design shaped by local traditions, contemporary construction methods, and the evolving waterfront landscape of the region.
extended roof overhangs reference the upturned eaves of traditional Lingnan architecture
