The Last Word

With a history that dates back over three millennia, the ancient city of Changsha in Hunan, China, is a destination brimming with cultural heritage. Now, a large cultural complex located by the Meixi Lake continues the contemporary trajectory of the city, with the sinuous shape of its buildings setting them apart from the modern city skyline in the neighbourhood.

Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects, the Changsha Meixihu International Culture & Arts Centre comprises a newly opened art museum as well as a grand theatre and a multi-purpose hall that appear like a row of flowers in bloom when seen from above. Unfurling in ribbon-like twirls, the organic form of this futuristic complex harks to the trade routes of yore that passed through the city. A project eight years in the making, this arts cluster also features spacious courtyards and pedestrian walkways that connect to the neighbouring streets and parks.