Source: Xinhua News Agency
Wuhan/Kinshasa, September 18 (Xinhua) -- A cultural and artistic hall that "combines China and Africa"
Xinhua News Agency reporters Qiu Xia, Xu Haibo, and Shi Yu
"My father worked and lived in Africa, and I have been very affectionate with Africa since I was a child, and when I heard about this project in Africa, my heart jumped to try." Talking about the Central African Culture and Art Center, which he was the main designer, Chinese architect Tang Wensheng said that this once again shows the inheritance of China-Africa friendship.
On the triumphal boulevard of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, there are the People's Palace and the Martyrs' Stadium, which were built with Chinese assistance in the seventies and eighties of the 20th century. Across the street, a new cultural temple that attracts attention, the Central African Culture and Arts Center, is under construction.
"The People's Palace is the seat of the Congolese parliament, and the 80,000-strong Martyrs Stadium often hosts major events." Muvouni, Minister of State and Minister of Infrastructure and Public Works of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said that the Central African Culture and Arts Center is "another bright business card of cooperation between the two countries."
Headquartered in Wuhan, Tang Wensheng's Zhongnan Architectural Design Institute was responsible for the design of the Central African Culture and Art Center. Walking into Tang Wensheng's office, the reporter saw design drawings and panoramic renderings, showing the "ingenuity" of the construction of the main buildings of the center such as theaters and school buildings.
The main body of the building consists of a cultural center and the National Academy of Arts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including a large theater of 2,000 seats, a small theater of 800 seats and a campus of the National Academy of Arts with a capacity of 2,000 students.
This is the construction site of the Central African Culture and Art Center project taken on August 25 in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (mobile phone photo). Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Shi Yu
Among them, the exterior shape of the core architectural cultural center is unique, just like a round African drum. Tang Wensheng knew what the African drum looked like from his father's description when he was young. In the 80s, his father worked as a Chinese engineer to build a farm in Somalia. Since then, the customs and customs of Africa and the story of friendly exchanges between the Chinese and African peoples have left a deep impression on Tang Wensheng's heart.
"In Chinese culture, a circle means reunion." Tang Wensheng said that the shape of the cultural center integrates Chinese and African cultural and artistic concepts, symbolizing the friendship between China and Africa for generations.
This is the construction site of the Central African Culture and Arts Center project taken in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (file photo). Xinhua News Agency
The design of the National Academy of Arts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo also has the charm of "combining China and Africa". Through repeated research, the Chinese design team has found that the use of traditional Chinese courtyards and wind and rain corridors can make the spatial layout of school buildings more suitable for the local climate environment.
"China's architectural culture pays attention to courtyards, and in Africa we make them narrow courtyards." Tang Wensheng said that the narrow and long courtyard can use the mutual shielding between the buildings to form a cool and pleasant courtyard space. According to the design, the different faculties of the National Academy of Arts are both enclosed and independent courtyards, and are interconnected by a long corridor of wind and rain. The wind and rain corridor has both the function of rain protection and sun protection, and the combination of narrow courtyard and corridor is just suitable for the local climate environment of high temperature, rain and strong sunshine.
The concept of mutual learning and adapting to local conditions is ubiquitous in the design and construction of the Central African Culture and Arts Center: some walls use openwork lattice tiles common to local buildings, which have the effect of ventilation and heat dissipation, while traditional Chinese ruyi auspicious patterns are integrated into it, adding to the elegance and interest; The façade of the building uses river sand from the Congo River as the "main force" of the exterior wall paint, presenting a rustic style with regional characteristics; Congo (gold) copper mines are very rich, copper engravings are the "unique skill" of local craftsmen, in the interior decoration of the building, these paintings reflecting the local art style will be widely used.
On September 12, at the headquarters of Wuhan Zhongnan Architectural Design Institute, Tang Wensheng displayed the winning medal of the design plan of the Central African Culture and Art Center. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Zhizun
As one of the key projects of the "Eight Major Actions" of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the construction of the Central African Culture and Art Center has been highly valued by the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In 2019, Congolese President Tshisekedi personally laid the foundation stone for the project. Since then, he has repeatedly inspected and condolences to the project and construction personnel. During an inspection in 2021, Tshisekedi said that he believed that the project would play an important role in cultural exchanges between Africa and China when completed. In May this year, during Tshisekedi's state visit to China, the two countries issued a joint statement on the establishment of a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, in which it was particularly mentioned that the Democratic Republic of the Congo spoke highly of China's support for the Central African Culture and Art Center project.
"We all yearn to move into this beautiful complex." Mwendanga Musengo Désiré-Salomon, president of the National Academy of Arts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, told reporters that he often came to the construction site of the Central African Culture and Art Center and was amazed by the architectural design that is both culturally rich and grounded.
On September 12, at the headquarters of Wuhan Zhongnan Architectural Design Institute, Tang Wensheng (right) exchanged with colleagues the design plan of the Central African Culture and Art Center. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Zhizun
Mwendanga said with great expectation that culture and art have great power and can build bridges between people's hearts, and this temple of culture and art will make important contributions to cultivating more artistic talents and promoting international cultural exchanges in the future. After the completion of the center, the faculty and students will move to the new campus to work and study, and at the same time be able to showcase their knowledge and creative achievements to the world in the theater of the center. He hopes that African and Chinese artists will be able to perform and exchange together here in the future.
When it comes to the significance of literature and art as a "bridge of the soul", Tang Wensheng is also deeply touched. He recalled to reporters the story that happened during the project research: during a visit to the National Academy of Arts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the student band played the classic Chinese song "Jasmine" to welcome the arrival of Chinese guests. "I was very moved to hear it, and I also sang an African folk song that my father taught me, and the students accompanied me."
On September 12, at the headquarters of Wuhan Zhongnan Architectural Design Institute, Tang Wensheng introduced his collection of African wood carvings. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Zhizun
Since then, Tang Wensheng has been called "a Chinese architect who can sing African folk songs" by his friends in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Tang Wensheng said that the seeds of China-Africa friendship that he buried in his heart when he was young have now grown into big trees and bear fruit. In the future, with the completion and use of the Central African Culture and Art Center, this seed of friendship will surely be sown in the hearts of more people, and the road for the Chinese and African people to move forward hand in hand will surely become wider and wider. (Participating reporter: Xiong Xianghe)