In 2014, the Fuzhou Government hosted an international invited competition for the Strait Culture and Art Centre with the goal of strengthening the cultural image of the city. PES-Architects? winning proposal aims to offer an extraordinary experience for ordinary users by creating a new type of ?cultural shopping mall?. The cultural programmes of the Centre are complemented with commercial and family-oriented entertainment services to create a modern hybrid complex. This format is typical of the new phase of cultural building in China.Located in Mawei New Town, facing the Minjiang River, the Strait Culture and Arts Centre functions as a connective device. It connects cities and communities along and over the Taiwan Strait. It connects the Fuzhou New City Development and its waterways to the Minjiang River and the natural environment. And, finally, it connects people to culture.The design takes inspiration from the petals of a jasmine blossom, the city flower of Fuzhou. The flower is manifested in the formal language and color of the architecture. The five jasmine petal venues? an opera house, concert hall, multi-functional theatre, art exhibition hall and cinema center?are linked by a Cultural Concourse and a large roof terrace. The roof terrace is accessible via two ramps from the Jasmine Gardens as well as from the Central Jasmine Plaza, providing a seamless connection from the complex to the riverfront of the Minjiang River. On the underground level, a ?shopping river? i...