UAE Developer Names Japanese Architect As Designer For Sharjah's New Performing Arts Center

United Arab Emirates (UAE) property development company Arada named Japanese architect Tadao Ando as designer for Il Teatro in Sharjah on Tuesday.

Il Teatro will be a new performing arts center in Sharjah's largest lifestyle community, Aljada, which is an event venue by Arada developers.

The new platform will be spread over an area measuring 260,000 square feet. It will host various performances and shows, including opera, theater, dance, ballet, musicals, concerts, films, art exhibitions and festivals.

"Il Teatro at Aljada represents an impressive new attraction for Sharjah and the wider UAE and adds significantly to the list of museums, galleries, entertainment venues and other cultural spaces for which Sharjah is already well-known," Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed bin Talal, Arada's vice chairman, said, as per WAM.

He also praised Ando, noting that the 82-year-old architect has a long record of "designing exceptional public spaces that enthrall and engage their visitors" and that they look forward to working with his vision.

Ando previously designed the Chapel on the Water the Harmonie Embrassee Osaka in Japan, the Art Museum named Pulitzer Arts Foundation in the United States, the State Museum of Arts in Uzbekistan and the Bourse de Commerce - Pinault Collection in France.

Ando also worked in the UAE in the past, particularly on Armani Beach Residences at Palm Jumeirah, which was in partnership with Arada.

Considering the new project, the vice chairman of the Arada revealed that the plaza will be spread over two levels, noting that it will be an "elevated public space that floats above a water feature and contains a large outdoor amphitheater that faces Il Teatro."

"Brought to life by a series of events and activities, the plaza will also provide a multi-dimensional experience designed to inspire local artists and the growing creative community in the UAE," he added.

Elie Mrad, Arada's chief architectural officer, shared that Ando's style often incorporates natural elements such as stone, concrete, light and water. This reportedly represents the beauty of simplicity.

"That approach has been captured in the design for Il Teatro and its surrounding plaza, which will act as a sociocultural meeting place for everyone," Mrad explained.

The Japanese architect ensured that Il Teatro would leave a lasting intergenerational impact by emphasizing culture and art.

"I have designed the central structure of the building to be round like the Earth as I wanted to create a new world inside it that will attract not only local people but visitors from around the globe," Ando said.