The lotus may be a symbol of Vietnam, but it might have outgrown its popularity when it comes to new building designs.

Hanoi has revealed the design for its largest theater – a six-story building with six giant lotus flowers rising up from a lake.

According to the Lonely Planet news, the project is located in the western district of Vietnam’s capital and positioned along one of the main arterial roads that connect the city with Noi Bai Airport, the Hanoi Lotus project aims to create a brand new cultural epicentre in the area while offering a striking first impression for people entering the city. The building will sit atop a lake and will act as part of the city’s stormwater control system for drainage, as well as providing spaces for a range of different events.

It will house areas designed for ceremonies and weddings, a 2000-seater multi-functional theatre and performance space, and an ice skating rink. The ceiling of the main space takes inspiration from the colours and patterns of the underside of a lotus leaf, and will have a sculpted form that blends into the central auditorium. Each petal that forms a layer of the design will be formed from specially crafted glazing that will provide shading to the restaurant and VIP areas inside.

The design was created by Australian architecture firm deciBel, and incorporates Vietnam’s national flower the lotus into a modern and eye-catching design. The building has a pentagonal shape with the Lotus Building at its central node. As well as being inspired by the flower, the design is based on the five points of an out-stretched person in a bid to introduce a human element to it.

The project has been approved to go ahead, with the aim of having the building fully operational by Lunar New Year 2019, which will fall on Tuesday 5 February.

In a country where more than half of the population is online most of the day, the project has once again started a lot of chatter. A common theme seems to be people asking if the spending is necessary, or if the money should be used for schools, hospitals and roads. But this time, there’s a new debate that can be summed up in one word: “Again?”

The public appears to have had enough of lotus-inspired constructions.

The transport ministry has also chosen a lotus-themed design for Long Thanh Airport, a multi-billion dollar international airport in the southern province of Dong Nai that will be the largest in Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City’s tallest skyscraper, Bitexco, also bears the image of a lotus bud.

Officials said construction is expected to be completed next year. The estimated cost has not been revealed. The city hopes that the theater, together with four horse race tracks which will be started later this year, will bring in more tourists. Hanoi aims to attract 4.3 million foreign visitors this year, up 7.5 percent from 2016.

Source: VnExpress  ,  Lonely Planet