Introduction
Guangzhou Opera House was commissioned by the Guangzhou municipal government in 2005. This cultural center was established as part of developing the cultural sites in Guangzhou. The project design involved a competition that was won by architect Zaha Hadid. The winning design was titled “two pebbles” and was illustrative of the motivating idea. The building is 11 years old, having been opened on 9th May 2010. The design of the project encompasses the aspect of nature, engaging with the geology and topography of the area. The architect was heavily influenced by the river valleys, and in particular, the way erosion changes them (Staples, 2021). The opera house has an 1800 set auditorium and a 400-seat multifunction hall.
The design resembles two big pebble-shaped structures that have been washed on the banks of the river Pearl (Staples, 2021). The structure of the building appears as identical boulders that have been smoothened by erosion in a river (Staples, 2021). The auditorium is asymmetric, which was a challenge for the acoustic team because of the difference in nature of Chinese and western operas. The 4000 white LEDs in the ceiling provide the interior with an aura-like atmosphere which enhances the experience of the audience. This essay will outline the conflicts in acoustics, structure, and electrical and plumbing of the Guangzhou Opera house and how they were resolved.
Acoustics
The architect came up with an asymmetrical design of the opera house, which provided acoustic challenges. Designing the acoustics of the Guangzhou opera house was problematic because of the need to incorporate both western and Chinese styles of operas (Ding, 2019). The Chinese way of performing operas emphasizes more on the instruments, which creates new needs for the acoustic department. The Chinese have diverse musical instruments which are applied in opera to produce different rhythms and sounds. Western operas are focused on singing and emotional expression during performances. Therefore, the team had to develop an acoustic experience that would favor both the Chinese and western opera performances. The team decided to develop a folded and flowing surface with a golden and glossy appearance. The walls and ceilings were made with thick molds fixed on steel frames.
The acoustic team also provided insight on how the surfaces and balconies would be developed in a way that sound would not bounce around the interior. This was done by making sure the surfaces and balconies were smooth and flowing. When sound bounced around the interior, it created early reflections which affected the acoustics. This led to the interior having a poor sound which would affect audiences in a different part of the auditorium. The conflict between the Chinese style and western styles of opera challenged the asymmetric nature of the auditorium, but the team was able to develop a solution. The solution involved building the flowing surfaces and balconies in a way that would prevent sound from bouncing around the interior (Staples, 2021). Acoustics is the most important part of the auditorium hence the team needed to get it right.
Structure
The structure of the building is asymmetric, with a dome and curtain wall integrated. In the interior, the surface at the front had to be roughened up to remove the noise effect that was present in the front seats. The design team had done tests and noticed that the front areas of the auditorium had a high concentration of noise levels which reduced the sound from the performance. The team came up with the idea of roughening up the front end of the main building to prevent the sound from bouncing and creating a noise effect (Staples, 2021). After tests, the solution was found to be appropriate as the acoustic experience improved. The material used was granite which can provide a rough finish.
Another structural issue came up when putting steel shapes that were 12000 tones together. The steel shapes had to be placed on steel joints that had already been prefabricated. Engineers working on the project preferred to use the laser system due to the accuracy rate. The GPS is commonly used by engineers to position items, but it has a 5cm tolerance which would have been too inaccurate (Ding, 2019). Also, the team decided to use the laser system because of the positioning of the project. A measurement error would have been fatal as the building is positioned near a river. The steel shapes provide the building with its asymmetrical shape. The engineering team also considered the diverse uses of the main opera house when creating the components of the interiors. The engineering team was able to solve the challenges that came up, especially because it was one of their first big projects.
Electrical and Plumbing Systems
Electrical and plumbing systems are important in the development of any building. The electrical systems can be used to provide a visual experience to the audience in opera houses. The plumbing system has to be consistent with the design of the building and should not appear loosely. To solve this issue, the team decided to use the pattern of the structure as a pathway for the pipes. In major sections of the buildings, it is difficult to notice the pipes which are important as it provides a better appearance. In the interior, there is a smooth finish which is different from the outside texture and finish (Staples, 2021). This is to give the audience a different unique feeling that allows them to have their best experiences.
The electrical system also challenged the interior designers and engineers since they had to adhere to the plans and still provide a unique visual experience. The team decided to use an array of white LEDs, which would be placed beneath the balconies to enhance the visual appearance of the structure. The LED system of lights provides an impression of waterfalls reflection and is crucial in providing light to the whole space (Walker & Foged, 2018). The lighting system in the building is networked together, which enables performers to have control over the different lighting systems used in the main house. The ceiling is adorned with thousands of lights that resemble stars in the sky.
Conclusion
In summary, interior designers need to work with engineers in the design process to prevent the development of unsolvable conflicts. The design process should be transparent and should involve all the stakeholders. In the development of the Guangzhou Opera House, acoustic challenges came up due to western and Chinese opera differences. Lighting and electrical work also provided conflict areas which were solved by the team. LED lights provide a uniquely immersive experience to the audience and performers. The conflicts in the structure were related to the elimination of the noise effect. The solution was to make the front rough, which would eliminate the bouncing sounds.
References
Ding, G. (2019). Guangzhou Opera House: Building a gated public space. In Charlie Xue (Ed.), Grand Theater Urbanism (pp. 55-74). Springer,
Staples, D. (2021). Guangzhou Opera House, 2010 Guangzhou, China: Architect, Zaha Hadid Architects. In David Hamer & David Staples (Eds.), Modern theatres 1950–2020 (pp. 468-477). Routledge.
Walker, J., & Foged, I. W. (2018). Robotic methods in acoustics: Analysis and fabrication processes of sound scattering acoustic panels. In A. Kepczynska-Walczak, & S. Bialkowski (Eds.), Education and research in computer-aided architectural design in Europe (eCAADe 2018) (pp. 835-840). eCAADe.