Iwan Baan-An Architecture Photography "Captures Life" Inside and Around MAD's Harbin Opera House

Iwan Baan “Captures Life” Inside and Around MAD’s Harbin Opera House
The world’s greatest architectural photographer, coveted by every architect to showcase their buildings in a different light and diverse life, has just exposed a beautiful set of winter snaps of the Harbin Opera House.

Architect of this curvaceous masterpiece, Ma Yansong of Beijing-based MAD Architects, designed the structure and façade, keeping in mind the sinful winters that the city of Harbin faced throughout the year.

Photography by © Iwan Baan

The carved out meniscus of Manchurian Ash Timber within the halls of the Opera house, are a visual treat and textural delight to the visitors within.
Capturing the stunning work of art and architecture during peak winter season was the aim of Dutch genius as he focused on the dog-walkers, the pedestrians, the eager tourists and residents of Harbin who trudged their way through the snow to experience the space and setting of the Harbin Opera House.

Photography by © Iwan Baan

Architect Ma Yansong is said to have described the building as a poetic response to the northern city’s natural wilderness and frigid climate.
“We envision Harbin Opera House as a cultural centre of the future – a tremendous performance venue, as well as a dramatic public space that embodies the integration of human, art and the city identity, while synergistically blending with the surrounding nature,” claims Ma Yansong.

The chance meeting with Rem Koolhas years back changed Iwan Baan’s life. He now experiments with choppers, drones, and even phones to give us greatest visualizations of architecture.

Photography by © Iwan Baan

And today he is one of the world’s greatest architectural photographers.

“I want to depict whats happening in the building, what people do there and what kind of role these projects have for people, my aim with every shoot is to capture the life both within and surrounding the built environment.”, says the modest Iwan Baan.

Photography by © Iwan Baan

To know more about the gorgeous Harbin Opera house and the expertise that went into capturing it, watch the film by NOWNESS, where Iwan Baan explains his method for shooting the opera house.
The documentary illustrates the enchanting power of architectural photography.
“I’m not trying to create timeless images that could be in any moment in time,’ says Iwan Baan.
“They should always have a strong connection to a specific place, time, people, context, or culture.”