Piano Building
[edit]
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.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Auditorio de Tenerife.
- Big Duck.
- Building of the week series.
- Elbphilharmonie Hamburg.
- Fish Building, India.
- Haines Shoe House.
- ING House.
- Kunsthaus Graz.
- Lotus Temple.
- Lucy the elephant.
- Mimetic architecture.
- Teapot building.
- The Big Basket.
- Unusual building design of the week.
- Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Featured articles and news
Solar generation in the historic environment
Success requires understanding each site in detail.
Level 6 Design, Construction and Management BSc
CIOB launches first-ever degree programme to develop the next generation of construction leaders.
Open for business as of April, with its 2026 prospectus and new pipeline of housing schemes.
The operational value of workforce health
Keeping projects moving. Incorporating unplanned absence and the importance of health, in operations.
A carbon case for indigenous slate
UK slate can offer clear embodied carbon advantages.
Costs and insolvencies mount for SMEs, despite growth
Construction sector under insolvency and wage bill pressure in part linked to National Insurance, says report.
The place for vitrified clay pipes in modern infrastructure
Why vitrified clay pipes are reclaiming their role in built projects.
Research by construction PR consultancy LMC published.
Roles and responsibilities of domestic clients
ACA Safety in Construction guide for domestic clients.
Fire door compliance in UK commercial buildings
Architect and manufacturer gives their low down.
Plumbing and heating for sustainability in new properties
Technical Engineer runs through changes in regulations, innovations in materials, and product systems.
Awareness of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
What CBAM is and what to do about it.
The new towns and strategic environmental assessments
12 locations of the New Towns Taskforce reduced to 7 within the new towns draft programme and open consultation.
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.






















