Snøhetta completes Shanghai Grand Opera House

The Shanghai Grand Opera House, designed by the Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta, has officially opened on the banks of the Huangpu River within Shanghai’s Expo Culture Park. Spanning nearly 147,000 square metres, the complex is designed to function as both a premier performance venue and a public civic destination.

A central feature of the design is a monumental, spiral outdoor staircase that winds up to a rooftop terrace. This rooftop serves as a free public observation deck, an open-air stage, and a meeting point for residents and visitors. The building’s white, curved exterior is inspired by the geometry of a Chinese fan or the movement of an opera dancer.

The interior houses three distinct performance halls with a combined capacity for 4,200 spectators. These include the 2,000-seat Harmony Hall, the 1,200-seat Soar Theatre, and a third flexible hall with 1,000 seats designed for experimental productions. The architecture emphasizes natural light through expansive glass panels and seeks to integrate the cultural institution into the daily life of the city.