The first exhibition has opened at MICA, the contemporary art museum at the Changsha Meixihu International Culture & Arts Centre, which which was designed by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA).

ZHA says the 115,000sq m (1,240,000sq ft) centre is the largest and most versatile cultural centre in China's Hunan province, comprising three separate but complementary venues that each cater for a different use.

The 1,800-seat Grand Theatre, which was completed in 2017, is designed to host a popular programme of performances and television productions, with the lobbies, bars, hospitality suites and back-of-house support facilities required at a major venue.

The more flexible, 500-seat Small Theatre, meanwhile, can be transformed to host a variety of performance types and events, ranging from small plays to fashion shows and music performances to banquets and commercial events.

The newly opened MICA houses eight galleries totalling 10,000sq m (108,000) and has a large atrium for hosting installations and events, as well as spaces for community workshops, a lecture theatre, a café and a museum shop.

Located on the edge of Meixi Lake, the Changsha Meixihu International Culture & Arts Centre provides views out over the water and access to parks and walking trails on the lake’s Festival Island.

External courtyards provide spaces for outdoor events and sculpture exhibitions.