Coop Himmelb(l)au

The edition offers a detailed insight of the work and design process of the internationally well-known architecture company COOP HIMMELB(L)AU exemplified by this special building. Besides high resolution images of the final building from inside and outside the book explores the design process from the very early beginning to the final appearance as a recognisable landmark for the city of Dalian. The iconic power of this special building is more than just a shell: like a city in a city it shelters a flexible conference hall for 2.500 people and a multifunctional opera with 1.700 seats at the core, surrounded by conference rooms and passage-like places for stopovers and leisure. The shown material ranges from concept sketches, model shots over construction documents to images of the final building. An essay, written by Joseph Giovannini, architect as well as architectural critic, introduces the reader to the history, attitude and design related processes of COOP HIMMELB(L)AU, as well as examining China's nowadays pivotal point in its history.