On January 30, at the beginning of the new year, Harbin Grand Theater was selected as one of CNN's "10 Most Surprising Buildings of 2014". The selection praised the "curves" and "vital structure" of Harbin Cultural Center, and commented that it "perfectly combines art, nature and the surrounding natural environment".

Harbin Grand Theater is located in the riverside wetland on the north bank of Songhua River. The whole project covers an area of ​​1.8 square kilometers and has a construction area of ​​79,000 square meters. It is part of the northern part of Sun Island, a famous natural habitat in this northern capital. In February 2010, MAD won the design right of the project through a competition. The Harbin Grand Theater has completed the structural topping-out, and the whole complex is expected to open to the public at the end of 2014.