Translated into a series of landscapes that foreground the public’s
experience of the water, literal and phenomenal infrastructural bands
are deployed to accommodate activities such as shopping, recreation,
arts programming, beach access, leisure, dining, and various maritime
functions. The creation of these terrains and their integral
relationship to the architecture of the site, serves to reference the
adjacent mountainous geography, acknowledge the reclaimed nature of the
constructed island, reinforce the free and open access to the coastal
edge and extend the inherent diurnal nature of performing arts complexes
towards full time use. In addition, the surrogate terrain serves as a
future buffer to potential storm surges mediating the space between the
sea and the opera complex.
In response to the acoustical, technical, programmatic, visual and
spatial dichotomies existing between the Opera Theater and the more
experimental Multi-Purpose Theater, the complex divides these unique
performance vessels into two independent “gems” embedded within the
stratum of the opera complex. The dislocation of these two volumes –
while supporting their specific requirements – results in a spatially
dynamic territory containing the Opera House’s lobby, ticketing, gift
shop, restaurant, bars, and cafe. In addition to containing these public
functions, this space serves as the direct link to the various
landscapes – near and far – that encircle the building. The confluence
of the multitude of visitors to the opera house and the adjacent
landscapes results in an animated and socially diverse experience.