The architectural competition to decide the designer of the planned Shenzhen Opera House has reached the closing stages, with three high-profile practices being selected as finalists.

Those making it to the final list are Jean Nouvel Ateliers, Bjarke Ingels Group, working with Beijing Institute of Architectural Design, and Kengo Kuma and Associates, working with Shenzhen University Institute of Architectural Design.

The opera house project is being driven by the local government of Shenzhen, including the Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources of Shenzhen Municipality.

It is part of a larger construction programme for the region, called “Ten Major Cultural Facilities in the New Era”, of which the opera house is the most important.

The opera house has been planned to bring quality cultural life to the citizens as a 'world-class palace of art, a new international platform for cultural exchanges, a new cultural landmark of Shenzhen and a quality coastal art parlour for the public', according to city officials.

Located on top of Shenzhen Bay Park at the south end of Shekou Peninsula in Nanshan District, the opera house will extend into the sea, resembling a peninsula, overlooking Shenzhen Bay Highway Bridge and the skyline of Futian Center to the east, Hong Kong to the south across Shenzhen Bay, and Da Nanshan Mount/Xiao Nanshan Mount to the west.

The 17.5 hectare development is divided into north and south areas by Wanghai Road, neighbouring the existing Shekou Mountain Park on the northwest, vacant mixed-use land on the north, the existing Shenzhen Bay Sports Park to the east and an existing residential area to the southwest.

The opera house will sit within by a "cultural belt", created to integrate coasts, communities, buildings and parks.

"The goal is to shape a fascinating representative seaside landscape featuring mountain and sea views, to generate dynamic public and cultural activities around the clock, and make the area a vibrant bay area of international reputation," according to the project brief.

Following the finalist announcement, Bjarke Ingels said: "We look forward to further refining and submitting our final design for the future of opera and the performative arts in the world hub for cultural innovation."