The Shaw Auditorium at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) designed by Henning Larsen combines a highly flexible, acoustically sophisticated auditorium with bright, generous social spaces – together, these provide a ‘living room’ for the campus community and a world-class venue for Hong Kong.
The building has no front or back – it is open and welcoming on all sides. Its bold curved form stands out to signal the artistic and cultural activities within. The circular building appears as three concentric white rings, interspersed with glazing to reveal panoramic views of Sai Kung Bay.
The Building received BEAM Platinum rating, environmental strategy – an impressive achievement for a performance venue, given the fluctuating patterns of use and cooling demands. Measures include a district cooling system, photovoltaic panels over more than half the roof, a highly efficient façade, lighting control and brushless DC motors fan coil units. A smart ventilation Aircuity System also monitors the indoor air quality to ensure sufficient fresh air, using precision sensors to save energy. Acoustic separation, anti-vibration and noise control measures are in place for all building services equipment. The outer wall of the auditorium is clad in bamboo from a renewable supply, mineral paint has been specified for the white façade and Norwegian wool is used in the acoustic panels.
In this tour, representative from Henning Larsen will guide us through this iconic new addition to HKUST Campus.
