Piano’s theatre not on song yet

October 11, 2010 | 11:13

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Ground breaking for the capital’s Renzo Piano designed $120 million theatre has been delayed.

Work should have started on the Thang Long theatre on October 7 to cerebrate the 1,000 year anniversary of Hanoi.

However, Hanoi People’s Committee vice mayor Phi Thai Binh said the postponement was caused by time constraints.

“According to the committee’s plan, the project was set to be started on October 7. However, preparation has not kept up with this time and we decided to postpone the date,” Binh said.

He said the project would be started on a “suitable day” when all conditions were met.

Binh also appreciated the architectural design, considering unique, modern and well expressing the traditional characteristics.

Another committee source told VIR that the theatre was one of the city’s most important projects and preparation works needed to be well prepared before work could start. Nguyen Chi Tam, design director of Highend Architecture - representative of Renzo Piano in Vietnam, said the postponement was not surprising.

“Although we have arranged many things for this ceremony, even the trip for designer Renzo Piano to Hanoi, we can still handle it and we will wait for the further instructions from the committee,” Tam said.

To be built on a 22 hectare site in Tu Liem district’s West West Lake New Urban Area, the design will imitate a red sail in Halong Bay, constructed on the water surface. The theatre consists of a theatre, an open air stage and parking lot functions. All of the features are built on the water surface and garden, with a transport system going through the whole area.

The design symbolises the bay and famous Hanoi landmarks One Pillar Pagoda and the The Huc bridge.

By Quynh Chau

vir.com.vn

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