The new Shanghai Grand Opera House was designed by Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta in collaboration with the East China Architectural Design & Research Institute

The building takes inspiration from an unfolding traditional Chinese fan. Its roof spirals around the auditoriums, forming a sweeping public staircase that is designed to be open 24 hours a day and leads up to the rooftop, offering views of Shanghai’s skyline and the Huangpu River.

The fan evokes classical Chinese culture through a sense of elegance, openness and movement. The spiral echoes the flow of the river, suggesting continuity the city, the water and the opera house.

In addition, the shape of the staircase recalls the profile of a ballerina and its steps the keys of a piano