Homage To Heritage

PES-Architects’ Fuzhou Strait Culture and Art Centre alludes to the city’s significance as a hub for ceramics on the ancient Silk Route that connected China with the rest of the world.

- Aman Mehta 

The Fuzhou Strait Culture and Art Centre by Helsinki and Shanghai-based studio, PES-Architects, takes inspiration from the petals of a jasmine blossom. The five-petal city flower of jasmine is alluded to in the design language and colour of the structure – white ceramic tiles and louvres adorn the facade and five separate venues make up the 153,000sqmt complex.

The opera house and concert hall are clad with bespoke ceramic called China White, developed in collaboration with Taiwanese artist Samuel Hsuan-yu Shih. Incorporating new-age technology, the material was specifically engineered to fit the acoustic demands of the main halls. Two variations of topographical panels — engraved and mosaic — have been customised for the structure in order to achieve the highest quality of nuanced sound, whilst maintaining the visual language of the design.