Construction of the Oriental Art Center, another landmark building in Shanghai, started Tuesday.

Covering a land area of 23,000 square meters, the art center will cost 780 million yuan (about US$ 93.98 million) and will be completed in 2004.

Consisting of a 2,000-seat symphony hall, a 1,100-seat theater and a 300-seat odeum, the building looking like a butterfly orchid is the largest urban cultural facility financed by Shanghai.

Designer Paul Andreu described it as "a building of art, mystery and culture", because its external shape embodies a lot of visual changes in the way a symphony embodies a climax and many lingering sounds.

The building will be surrounded by a large garden where people will see the blue sky and trees.

Zhou Yupeng, vice-mayor of the municipality, believed that the building would greatly increase the city's artistic reputation and provide a home for large-scale artistic performances in Shanghai.

A total of seven architectural companies from both home and abroad joined the bidding contest for the project.

Paul Andreu has also designed the China State Theater in Beijing and the Pudong International Airport.

( People's Daily March 27, 2002)