The much awaited Central Yards in Hong Kong, which includes the city's first-ever private Broadway-caliber theater created by UNS, has been formally unveiled by Henderson Land. Along the New Central Harbourfront, the project hopes to establish itself as a cultural and symbolic gateway.

UNS has envisioned a state-of-the-art location that represents its aspirations. This prestigious location will serve as a creative hub for a thriving artistic community in addition to hosting a wide range of top-notch performances, such as touring musicals, international premieres, flagship concerts, immersive shows, and cross-disciplinary showcases.  

The theatre is a part of Central Yards, an ambitious 4.8-hectare site and 400-meter-long groundscraper that integrates business, finance, recreation, and cultural activities on the New Central Harbourfront to create a sustainable CBD mixed-use complex. 

Aerial view of Central and Central Yards (This image is preliminary design concepts only and may be subject to change as the project progresses)  

Central Yards is the result of Henderson Land's dedication to and passion for our city, according to Dr. Martin Lee Ka Shing, Chairman of Henderson Land. Central Yards transforms Hong Kong into the world's most magnificent stage for coming generations, a thriving center where the treasures of life—nature, culture, joy, and ambition—come together. 

The performance stage, audience seats, and necessary acoustic and technical systems are all perfectly integrated into the theater's auditorium's beautifully sculpted lattice shell. The theater, which can accommodate more than 1,100 people, offers an unmatched sensory experience by fusing cutting-edge lighting and acoustic technology with a painstakingly designed interior to create an immersive visual and aural environment. 

Theatre Grand Auditorium 

UNS has created an integrated visitor experience that links with the adjacent public and office spaces in addition to the vibrant theater. This covers the major lobbies of office towers, the whole VIP experience, and the surrounding ground and first floor landscape areas. The outcome is a versatile indoor and outdoor environment that promotes chances for cultural and commercial events, as well as public interaction, outside of the conventional theater walls.

Office Tower Main Lobby  

"We are incredibly delighted and honoured to design and deliver Hong Kong’s first private Broadway-calibre theatre," said Ben van Berkel, Founder and Principal Architect, UNS. 

"This is a highly ambitious venue, and our goal is to create an unprecedented experience that generates cultural impact both locally and globally. It will redefine Hong Kong’s harbourfront with a diverse, inclusive, and experientially unique image," Van Berkel added.

"Our design for the theatre goes far beyond the stage and auditorium. It is a bold statement for the performing arts, the artistic community, and theatre-going audiences. We are a part of Hong Kong’s community. And we aim to create not only a venue that furthers opportunities for global artists to perform in Hong Kong but also celebrates Hong Kong’s local arts on an international stage," said Hannes Pfau, Partner UNS and Managing Director, UNS Shanghai and Hong Kong.

All images are courtesy of Henderson Land. 

> via UNS

concept performance spaces theatre UNS