Hole in the Clouds


Tag: National Center for the Performing Arts

The Floating Egg

May 9, 2012

The National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing is an ellipsoidal dome of glass and titanium completely surrounded by an artifical lake; the only entrance to the three theaters inside the dome is via a tunnel underneath the lake.

The architect is Paul Andreu, a Frenchman who spent most of his career designing airports, including those at Dubai, Cairo, Shanghai, Jakarta, Manila, and both airports in Paris.  He's been busy lately working on structures for the Olympics in Kazakhstan.

architecture   Beijing   opera   reflection   National Center for the Performing Arts   (Image credit: Trey Ratliffe, via stuckincustoms.com)