Shaw Auditorium | Henning Larsen

Designed by Henning Larsen, Shaw Auditorium acts as a provider of a ‘living room’ for the campus community and also a world-class venue for Hong Kong. As a part of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), it combines a highly flexible, acoustically sophisticated auditorium with bright and generous social spaces.

In designing the new building, the team presents an inventive response to a diverse mix of uses, the elevated site, and the subtropical hong kong climate. It is located on the hillside in the southern part of HKUST’s campus, surrounded by iconic orthogonal buildings. The rather curved shape of the auditorium appears as three concentric white rings, interspersed with glazing to reveal panoramic views.

The rectangular plan of the auditorium brings the spectators closer to the performers. It creates a more intimate atmosphere and optimizes acoustics inside the auditorium. The seating configuration inside can accommodate up to 1300 seats, but can also be removed to become an open-air exhibition area, enabling a wide range of immersive audio-visual experiences.

The Shaw Auditorium building is located at the gate of the HKUST campus, making it a link between the university and its surroundings through art. The elliptical mass of the building directs pedestrians naturally. The cantilever in the building also protects visitors from heat and rain. Consisting of vernacular poles and a canopy that is typical of traditional Hong Kong architecture. This passive enclosure is part of the platinum beam environmental strategy. This is one impressive achievement for the venue, given fluctuating usage patterns and cooling demand.

The overall design of the auditorium answers the project's challenges regarding the functionality of the building and its role as a symbolic building. The auditorium must also be able to accommodate different types of activities, be it a sit-in concert, to a gala dinner with perfect acoustics. The architecture of the building must also express its role as the heart of cultural and artistic life on campus.