« back to Article

Wuxi Grand Theatre by PES-Architects

Image of the main entrance plaza at night time (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

Birdview with the main entrance plaza in the foreground and Wuli Lake in the background (Photo: Pan Weijun)

View from top showing the Wuli Lake surrounding the building and the landscaping on the man-made peninsula (Photo: Pan Weijun)

The building as seen from the Wuli Lake Bridge (Photo: Kari Palsila)

The building as seen from the boat pier (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

The main entrance foyer with the light columns, the transparent roof and the butterfly door handles on the main entrance doors. (Photo: Kari Palsila)

The lake side lobby of the main auditorium. This elevated space is providing great views over the Wuli Lake. The auditorium is accessed via bamboo balconies. The curved auditorium wall is covered with a custom designed glass brick wall. (Photo: Kari Palsila)

The glass brick wall in the main auditorium lake side lobby is made of 20.000 glass bricks with a wave pattern relating to the surrounding lake and to the curved bamboo block wall inside the auditorium. (Photo: Kari Palsila)

The main auditorium holds 1680 seats. The curved walls are made of 16.000 CNC cut solid bamboo blocks. The golden ceiling reflector design is inspired by the tradition Chinese opera mask. (Photo: Kari Palsila)

A side balcony in the main auditorium. (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

The lake side lobby of the small auditorium. This elevated space is providing great views over the Wuli Lake. The auditorium is accessed via two levels which are connected by a suspended spiral staircase. The entrance wall to the auditorium is covered with special designed CNC cut stone blocks relating to the angulated black brick wall inside the auditorium. (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

The side balcony of the small auditorium. The material for the wall is black GRG, and the balconies are made of solid bamboo. (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

The small auditorium as seen from stage. The 700 seats are partly retractable to enable a multifunctional usage of the space. (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

The suspended spiral stair as seen from below. The steps are made of solid bamboo material, and the entire structure is suspended from the ceiling with stainless steel rods. (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

At night time the perforated wing surfaces expose the space truss structures of the wings. The color of the LED lighting is changeable so that the building has a different appearance on different performance nights. (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

The image is showing an assembly test in the CNC cutting facilities for the bamboo block walls of the main auditorium. (Photo: Martin Lukasczyk)

A close-up of the solid bamboo block walls in the main auditorium. (Photo: Martin Lukasczyk)

The wings as seen from above the main entrance foyer. The top side of the wings is covered with a zink roofing. (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

The bottom side is covered by double curved perforated aluminium sheets. (Photo: Kari Palsila)

The wings are shading a series of rooftop gardens and terraces. This terrace on top of the main auditorium contains an outdoor performance stage and a cafeteria. (Photo: Jussi Tiainen)

A plan drawing of the +6m main entrance level. The two performance halls are separated by the central main entrance foyer.

The building volumes are sheltered by eight steel wings.

Section drawing of the main auditorium.

The drawing is illustrating the curve design concept for the bamboo walls.

The drawing is illustrating the space truss steel structures of the wings.

The lake side lobby of the main auditorium. This elevated space is providing great views over the Wuli Lake. The auditorium is accessed via bamboo balconies. The curved auditorium wall is covered with a custom designed glass brick wall. (Photo: Kari Palsila)

The lake side lobby of the main auditorium. This elevated space is providing great views over the Wuli Lake. The auditorium is accessed via bamboo balconies. The curved auditorium wall is covered with a custom designed glass brick wall. (Photo: Kari Palsila)