Hi-Ten Show Theater Upgrade, Lijiang, China

The design for the interior elements of the Hi-Ten Mobile Theater is a hybridization of deployable geometries and natural material behaviors to create a scheme that elevates the space and performance while responding to the constraints inherent in the theaters frequent deconstruction and reconstruction cycles. Elements of the design must also adapt to the various characters of the theaters different performances, becoming dynamic elements that can change the mode of the space at will. To develop and execute these ideas into a cohesive design we developed novel uses for readily available materials.

The treatment of the central columns involves generating a natural curvilinear diagrid by placing alternate directions of tension upon large cell steel cable netting. For the linear ceiling elements, simple catenaries are deployed in dense arrays creating sinuous surfaces that twist and bend towards the center of the space. The stage itself is designed as a series of flat pack-able elements that create dynamism through depth and layering of flat panels, utilizing advanced fabrication technologies to generate organic weaving patterns as frame for performance. Each of these elements simultaneously executes form, function and ornamentation within a single gesture, precise material selection allows the elements to compact or expand very efficiently while also create pattern and texture within their geometric deployments.