After six years of construction, the Shanghai Grand Opera House (上海大歌剧院) was completed in June. Located along the Huangpu River beside Shanghai Expo Culture Park, it features a distinctive fan-shaped rooftop, three main performance venues, and a dedicated arts education space.

 

A rooftop inspired by a Chinese fan

The rooftop radiates from a central double-helix staircase, evoking a traditional Chinese fan unfurling from its handle. The pleated form extends from the roof into the interior, creating a consistent visual language throughout the building.

The project overcame a series of complex engineering challenges. Its signature double-helix staircase uses ultra-high-performance concrete as its main load-bearing structure, creating a 30-meter span and an ultra-thin cantilevered curved surface.

The building also features China's first large-format multilayer laminated insulating-glass curtain wall, requiring highly precise installation across its irregularly curved facade.

 

Three performance venues & an arts education space

The opera house includes three main performance venues — the 2,000-seat Harmony Hall, the 1,200-seat Soar Theatre, and the 1,000-seat Open Stage — as well as Grand Atelier, a dedicated arts education space.

The English initials of the four spaces — H, S, O, and G — echo the letters in SGOH, the abbreviation for Shanghai Grand Opera House. Together, they support activities ranging from classic productions and experimental works to professional performances and public arts education.

01 Harmony Hall

Harmony Hall is the main venue for opera, dance drama, symphony concerts, and other large-scale productions.

Its stage covers approximately 3,500 square meters, making it the largest theater stage in Asia. It also features Asia's first six-box stage with a two-way wagon system, allowing sets to be changed quickly.

02  Soar Theatre

Soar Theatre is designed for local theater, dance, Peking Opera, Kunqu Opera, and other art forms. It features a classic horseshoe-shaped auditorium and a six-box stage system, with a stage area of about 2,400 square meters.

03  Open Stage

Open Stage is designed for immersive theater, chamber music, and other intimate performances. Its defining feature is a panoramic glass curtain wall nearly 13 meters high, bringing natural light and views of Shanghai Expo Culture Park into the venue.

The space is equipped with 21 seating lifts, allowing it to switch among traverse, arena, and end-stage configurations.

04  Grand Atelier

Grand Atelier is dedicated to arts education, film screenings, master classes, and creative dialogues. Its workshop-based approach is intended to make arts education more interactive and participatory.

Once officially opened, the Shanghai Grand Opera House will have no enclosed perimeter walls. Its viewing platforms will be accessible to visitors, creating an open urban cultural space where people can gather and engage with the arts.

(Sources: Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, Shanghai Grand Opera House)