Changsha Meixihu International Cultural Centre

The first exhibition at MICA, the new art museum of Changsha Meixihu International Culture & Arts Centre, is now open.

‘Flowing Eternity’ is an immersive exhibition by MOTSE, a group of 40 artists and scientists based in Shenzhen whose collaborative, interactive works use innovative technologies in new media to explore contemporary culture.

The new Culture & Arts Centre by Zaha Hadid Architects incorporates a contemporary art museum (MICA), an 1,800-seat theatre with supporting facilities and a multipurpose hall. Its organic architectural language is defined by pedestrian routes that weave through the site to connect with neighbouring streets.

Providing views of the adjacent Meixi Lake from the city and giving access to the parks and walking trails on the lake’s Festival Island, this ensemble of three separate cultural institutions creates external courtyards where pedestrian routes intersect for outdoor events and sculpture exhibitions.

The largest and most versatile cultural centre in Hunan province, the Culture & Arts Centre connects directly with its station on Line 2 of Changsha’s new Metro System.

Located on historic trade routes through China, the city of Changsha’s traditions as an important centre of communications continues as one of the country’s leading media hubs with the centre’s Grand Theatre hosting a popular programme of performances and television productions.

Designed for the widest variety of performing arts, the Grand Theatre provides all front-of-house functions in sculpted lobbies, bars and hospitality suites, as well as the necessary ancillary functions including administration offices, rehearsal studios, backstage logistics, wardrobe and dressing rooms.

With eight juxtaposed exhibition galleries totalling 10,000 sq.m centred around an atrium for large-scale installations and events, the MICA art museum also includes dedicated spaces for community workshops, a lecture theatre, café and museum shop.

The Small Theatre is characterized by its flexibility. This multipurpose hall with a capacity of 500 seats can be transformed to different configurations to accommodate a broad range of functions and performances that span from small plays, fashion shows and music performances to banquets and commercial events.

Totalling 115,000 sq.m, these three civic institutions are uniquely defined and separate, yet complement each other with different opening times creating vitality throughout the day and evening. The theatre becomes active as the art museum begins to conclude its day-time operations, whilst the variety of events in the smaller theatre ensure it will be used at all times.

Architect: Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)
Design: Zaha Hadid and Patrik Schumacher
ZHA Project Director: Woody Yao and Simon Yu
ZHA Project Leader: Simon Yu
ZHA Project Team: Zhenjiang Guo, Charles Kwan, Jinqi Huang, Neil Sansom, Pravin Ghosh, Thomas Jensen, Justin Kelly, Wandy Mulia, Uli Schifferdecker, Adrian Aguirre Herrera, Aurora Santana, Koren Sin, Johanna Huang, Yifan Zhang, Collin Spelts, Fei Liang, Adam Fingrut and Yitzhak Samun
ZHA Schematic Design: Zhenjiang Guo, Charles Kwan and Jinqi Huang
ZHA Museum Design: Tariq Khayyat, Kutbuddin Nadiadi, Diego Rossel, Gerry Cruz, Matteo Melioli, Xiaosheng Li, Yuxi Fu, Thomas Jensen, Matthew Johnson, Justin Kelly and Drew Merkle

ZHA Competition Team
ZHA Project Architect: Tiago Correia
ZHA Project Team: Victor Orive, Fabiano Continanza. Zhenjiang Guo, Danilo Arsic, Ines Fontoura, Rafael González, Alejandro Díaz and Jimena Araiza
ZHA Concept Development: Hannes Schafelner, Philipp Ostermaier, Jakub Klaska, Maren Klasing, Saman Saffarian, Martin Krcha, Maria Tsironi and Spyridon Kaprinis

Competition Consultants
Structural, Facade & Building Services Engineering: BuroHappold Engineering
Theatre Consultants: Theatre Projects Consultants
Acoustics Consultants: Marshall Day Acoustics

Consultants
Local Design Institute: Guangzhou Pearl River Foreign Investment Architectural Designing Institute
Structural Engineers & Building Services: Guangzhou Pearl River Foreign Investment Architectural Designing Institute
Specialist Acoustics Consultants to the Architect: Marshall Day Acoustics
Project Acoustical Consultants: Zhang Kuisheng Acoustical Design Research Studio
Theatre Management Consultants: Poly Theatre Engineering Consultancy Co. Ltd.
Theatre Equipment Consultants: Kunkel Theatre Engineering & Consulting Co., Ltd.
Museum Management Consultants: Global Cultural Asset Management
Transport Consultants: Sinclair Knight Merz
Project Management: Shanghai Gao Shen Consultants Ltd.