UNS has delivered Hong Kong’s first-ever private, Broadway-calibre theatre as part of Henderson Land’s newly unveiled Central Yards, positioning the venue as a cultural gateway on the New Central Harbourfront. Designed to host touring musicals, premieres, concerts, and immersive productions, the theatre is conceived as a highly technical performance machine wrapped in an expressive architectural identity, with world-class theatre ambitions built directly into its spatial logic.
A theatre as harbourfront landmark
Central Yards is not a standalone building drop. It is a 4.8-hectare, 400-metre-long groundscraper development that integrates commerce, finance, leisure, and culture into a single sustainable CBD. The theatre becomes the public-facing signal within that system, giving the harbourfront a destination defined by cultural gateway intent rather than spectacle alone.
Rather than treating performance as a closed-box program, the venue is framed as a civic address. Its presence operates at city scale, drawing people toward the waterfront and positioning Central Yards as an urban threshold that supports everyday public life.
An auditorium shaped by a sculpted lattice shell
The Grand Auditorium integrates stage, seating, acoustics, and technical systems into a sculpted lattice shell, rejecting the typical separation between architecture and performance infrastructure. Geometry becomes a functional tool, supporting sound, sightlines, and rigging within a cohesive interior defined by acoustic performance.
With capacity for more than 1,100 guests, the auditorium delivers an immersive experience driven by advanced lighting and acoustic systems, while maintaining spatial clarity rather than defaulting to a conventional black-box theatre.
Beyond the stage: a connected visitor experience
The theatre extends beyond its auditorium through an integrated visitor sequence linking public landscape areas, VIP access, and adjacent office lobbies. UNS designed the venue as part of a continuous spatial network, encouraging public engagement beyond ticketed events.
This approach allows the theatre to remain active throughout the day, supporting cultural and commercial programming that aligns with the rhythm of the waterfront district rather than activating only during evening performances.
A new performing arts statement for Hong Kong
Positioned as both an international platform and a local creative catalyst, the theatre expands the range of productions that Hong Kong can host, from major touring shows to experimental and immersive productions.
As articulated by Ben van Berkel and the UNS team, the project aims to redefine the harbourfront through performance-led architecture, public connectivity, and urban integration. The repetition of UNS in this context is intentional, reflecting how central architectural coordination is to the long-term success of Central Yards.
| Technical Sheet | |
|---|---|
| Project | The Theatre at Central Yards |
| Location |
New Central Harbourfront, Hong Kong (Google Maps) |
| Client / Developer | Henderson Land |
| Architect | UNS |
| Program | Private multi-functional theatre within a mixed-use CBD development |
| Auditorium Capacity | Over 1,100 guests |
| Key Interior Feature | Sculpted lattice shell integrating stage, seating, acoustics, and technical systems |
| Development Context | Central Yards, approx. 4.8 hectares and 400-metre-long groundscraper |
| Announcement Date | November 18, 2025 |
