Xiqu Centre, Hong Kong: design and construction of a suspended theatre structure

The West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) development aims to provide Hong Kong with a vibrant new cultural quarter on the shores of Victoria Harbour. As the first completed building in the district, the Xiqu Centre provides a world-class venue dedicated to the development and performance of xiqu (pronounced ‘see-chew’), a form of traditional Chinese opera. With its prominent location, the Xiqu Centre will act as a gateway to the wider district. Accordingly, a large area of ground-level public realm is provided within the building footprint. This article discusses some of the technical challenges in the design of the building structure – prompted by its unusual arrangement and constrained site – and how they were overcome. In particular, it will focus on the design and construction of the 1073-seat Grand Theatre spanning 37m over a column free public plaza.