Renzo Piano Building Workshop Designs Curved Concrete Opera Hall Rising from Hanoi's West Lake

"Renzo Piano Building Workshop (RPBW), in collaboration with Sydney and Hanoi-based PTW Architects, has begun construction of the Isola della Musica, a new opera house and convention center in Hanoi, Vietnam. Commissioned by Sun Group, the project was first conceived in 2017 and forms part of a broader masterplan that reshapes the existing boundary between West Lake and Đầm Trị Lake."

"The project is defined by its thin ribbed concrete shell, a three-dimensional catenary structure that works entirely in compression. This geometry efficiently distributes loads through a limited number of internal supports and perimeter points, creating a lightweight yet stable form. The shell accommodates openings between the ribs to bring light into the interiors without compromising structural integrity. Covered by a secondary outer skin that acts as a rain screen, the design uses a layered system that integrates structure, enclosure, and acoustic performance."

Renzo Piano Building Workshop and PTW Architects have begun construction of Isola della Musica, an opera house and convention center in Hanoi. The building sits on a newly formed island created by removing approximately 13,347 square meters of land to reconnect West Lake and Đầm Trị Lake. Construction uses berms instead of coffer dams to allow standard equipment while minimizing environmental disruption. The design features thin, ribbed concrete shells in a three-dimensional catenary form that work entirely in compression, distributing loads to few supports. Openings between ribs admit light; a secondary outer skin functions as a rain screen and layered acoustic enclosure. The exterior will be clad in ceramic tiles that produce a dynamic, iridescent surface.

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