Vancouver architect Bing Thom has been selected to design a Chinese opera house in Hong Kong. It will serve as one of the landmarks of a new major arts and cultural development in West Kowloon Cultural District.

Thom will team up with Hong Kong-based architect Ronald Lu to design the Xiqu Centre, a new facility devoted to the traditional performing art of Chinese opera. The development is scheduled to open in 2016.

In all, 50 teams from around the world expressed interest in the project.

This is the first project in the city for the Hong Kong born Thom.