A decade in the making, the cultural center designed by Snøhetta has officially opened to the public

The Shanghai Grand Opera House has redefined the typology of contemporary performing arts architecture, transforming it from a professional performance venue for ticketed audiences into an urban type open to all citizens.

Along the banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, a sweeping spiral staircase winds along the side of a white building, flowing upward toward the roof like a puff of smoke hanging in the air. But journey below the gyratory geometry, and a new image appears: The steps and railing become the canvas and sticks of a hand fan unfurled in the wind.…