Construction on the Hengqin Civil Arts Center has accelerated as its main structure is expected to be capped in July. Once operational in December 2023, the comprehensive venue will serve as public cultural infrastructure in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin and bring more convenience for Macao residents living, studying, working in Hengqin.

Encased by Qinzheng, Qinfei, and Qinlang roads in the Hengqin Comprehensive Service Area, the arts center covers land area of 40,200 sq m (10 acres) with floorage of 142,600 sq m (35 acres). It will have nine functional halls, a library and archives center, literary and artistic activity centers for youth, children, and seniors, an exhibition center, and a theater. It is 52 m (171 ft) in height and has 11 floors, of which two are underground. It will also provide 1,000 parking spaces.

Construction site of Hengqin Civil Arts Center [Photo by Zeng Yao / Zhuhai Daily]

Construction on its steel structure will be completed by the end of this month, followed by final touches like glass curtain wall installation, as well as mechanical and electrical installation, according to the constructor Zhuhai Gree Group Construction.

Project manager He Yizhou noted that the steel frame installation of the arched steel truss is a highlight, but also the most difficult part of the construction, with the heaviest steel component being nearly 30 metric tons and the lightest being around 2 tons.

Construction had to overcome complex geological conditions, with the sludge depth being more than 40 m (131 ft) and excavation of the two-floor basement with a depth of over 10 m (33 ft) took one year. 

Xu Yunchao, presiding architect of the project, said that the center's design adheres to the ecological pattern of "green mountains and clear waters in harmony." The arts center is expected to be a dynamic international cultural and arts venue for Guangdong and Macao residents, as well as visitors from all over the world. The project will also help increase Macao residents' quality of life and cultural options, added He.