The East Kowloon Cultural Centre, currently under construction in Ngau Tau Kok, will open in phases starting at the end of 2023 or in early 2024, says Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee.
Speaking at an IT and art development forum earlier this week, the CE added that the arts and culture hub will have technology and innovation facilities to help forerunners in the arts and technology fields exchange ideas and work with each other.
East Kowloon Cultural Centre will be a multi-auditoria venue spread over 2.16 hectares on the former site of the Lower Ngau Tau Kok Estate, which is across Kwun Tong Road from Kowloon Bay Station.
The venue will host drama, Cantonese opera, dance performance, and community events for districts around the old Kai Tak Airport area.
The main attractions are a 1,200-seat lyric theatre called The Hall, and a 550-seat thrust stage theatre known as The Theatre. There will also be three smaller studios that can seat between 120 and 360 people.
Another highlight is The Lab, which will have cutting-edge stage equipment, including an immersive audio system, real-time stage tracking and motion-capture systems, 3D projection mapping, and LED Moving Light.
The Lab will also use augmented, virtual mixed, and extended reality equipment such as a 270-degree LED screen and a 4K video and image processing systems to give audiences an immersive experience.
The East Kowloon Cultural Centre premises will also have a restaurant, a box office, a cloakroom, a large rehearsal room, and two interconnected rehearsal rooms.
Header image credits: Theatre Lab
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