Harbin Music Hall Opens

The recently opened hall was designed by Japanese architect Arata Isozaki to resemble a floating ice crystal. Harbin’s nickname is “ice city,” though in 2010, when construction of the hall was begun, UNESCO also designated it an international “city of music.”

The floor space of the hall itself covers 20,000 square meters, and the main auditorium has 1,200 seats.

There is also a smaller studio that holds another 400 seats. Other features include changing rooms, restaurants, and coffee houses. The music hall will be the home of the Harbin Symphony, which is China’s oldest orchestra. The symphony’s former venue has been taken over by private investors who plan to develop it commercially.