Piano Building
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Located in the Shannan district in Huainan City, China, this glazed building in the form of a violin leaning against a piano was completed in 2007.
Designed by architectural students from the Hefei University of Technology, the building is built at a scale of 50:1, and serves as a showroom for exhibiting development plans.
The transparent violin is made from clear glass panels and contains escalators and a staircase for the main piano building which accommodates two concert halls.
The piano structure is built on three concrete legs and is made from hundreds of black glass panels interspersed with clear and white glass to represent piano keys. A roof terrace is sheltered beneath a canopy shaped like the propped-open lid of a piano.
The construction of the Huainan Piano Building was not cheap, with the total cost estimated to be around $35 million. This high cost can be attributed to the building's unique design and the use of advanced construction techniques.
Despite the high cost of construction, the Huainan Piano Building has proven to be a worthwhile investment for the city of Huainan. The building has become a major tourist attraction, drawing visitors from all over the world to admire its unique design and architecture. The building has also been used as a venue for events, such as concerts and exhibitions, further adding to its popularity and value. It has been called ‘the most romantic building in China’ as newly-weds come to have their photograph taken in front of it.
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