Higher, grander, costlier

• Source: The Global Times
• [22:17 May 18 2009]
• Comments

“Immigration monument” shaped like the Chinese character “hua” in Chongqing

When Paul Andreu, the designer, submitted his final design, in which he used a huge titanium and glass dome to cover four separate theaters, the disputes kicked off.

“The design is modern, creative and unique, and reflects a perfect combination between traditional and modern and between romance and reality,” the property owners' committee of the National Center for the Performing Arts commented in the book Cities in the Interview Notebook by Wang Jun, a reporter who focuses on architectural issues.

However, Pan Zuyao, a Hong Kong architect disagrees. In Wang's book, Pan pointed out in his letter to the relevant department that the design was “out of tune with Chinese tradition and local characteristics”, and it “does nothing to the Tian'anmen Square area, but destroy.”

Zhang also opposed the design for the 120,000-square-meter “duck's egg” when he worked as one of its reviewers. His main objection was the huge dome.

The new CCTV complex

“Why would they build a dome over domes? It's just a waste of steel,” he said.

In 2000, 108 architecture experts signed a letter to the then Ministry of Construction in 2000 – now Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development – to oppose the design.

In their suggestion letter, they pointed out that the 300-400 million yuan dome did not aid functionality and increased the need for air conditioning up to an estimated 100,000 yuan a day. “This is a typical ‘masterpiece' that focuses only on form, regardless of function and economy,” the letter stated.