TAO Trace Architecture Office 迹建筑事务所

Aranya Theatre

ARANYA THEATRE

Tao (Trace Architecture Office)

Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image

ARCHITECTS
Tao - Trace Architecture Office

PHOTOGRAPHS
Schran Image, Zaiye Studio

CLIENT
Qinhuangdao Aranya Real Estate Development Co., Ltd

STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT
Cabr Technology Co. Ltd.

MEP CONSULTANT
Kcalin Design Grou

LIGHTING CONSULTANT
Z Design And Planning

MANUFACTURERS
奥林匹亚石材有限公司, 深圳市星胜石业, 罗保盛建筑科技有限公司(北京)

LEAD ARCHITECT
Li Huar

DESIGN TEAM
Li Hua, Linyi Dai, Langhuan Wang, Chou Chia Ying, Xiangju Cheng, Xiaocen Gao, Xin'an Shi

THEATER CONSULTANT
Jh Theatre Architecture Design Consulting Company

CONSTRUCTION TEAM
Jiangsu Jiangdu Construction Group Co. Ltd.

CURTAIN WALL CONSTRUCTION
Qinghuangdao Qinbo Curtain Wall Decoration Engineering Co. Ltd.

LOCATION
Qinhuangdao, China

CATEGORY
Theate

AREA
4046 m²

YEAR
2020

Aranya Theatre
© Zaiye Studio

Text description provided by architect.

Aranya Theatre is located at an irregular-shaped site at the center of Aranya, a gold coast seaside resort in Qinhuangdao, Hebei, China.

The site is surrounded by residential buildings on three sides, overlooking the sea across the dunes. Therefore, how to deal with the relationship between the theatre and the sea, streets, and urban context, as well as how to shape the public space of the town has become the focus of the design.

Aranya Theatre
© Zaiye Studio
Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image

BREAK UP THE WHOLE INTO PARTS

The building consists of three theatres -A Theathre, Fengchao Theatre, and Dionysus Theatre, each occupying a corner of the site. Two rectangular theatres, Fengchao Theatre, and A Theatre, are connected by the lobby in the middle, extending into the urban fabric.

The outdoor Dionysus Theatre is located at the corner, connecting the streets on both sides and bringing the urban space inside.

Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image
Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image

By breaking up an excessively large volume into three smaller units, the building integrates into the urban settings without being too obtrusive on the scale.

Each of the three theatres has its own function, providing multi-functional places suitable for different forms of performance for the community, in order to create a diverse and vibrant community for all.

Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image
Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image

The 300-seat Fengchao Theatre is used for professional drama performances, with professional equipment and an architectural acoustic environment. The plays of Meng Jinghui Theatre Studio and other pioneering experimental dramas will be staged here.

A Theatre is equipped with 550 seats, where the large and solemn space provides better experiences for its audience. It can meet the needs of a variety of functions from theatrical performances to concerts, exhibitions, performance shows, auto shows, etc.

Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image
Aranya Theatre
© Zaiye Studio

Facing the sea, the Dionysus Theatre caters to outdoor performances. When not being used for performances, it serves as a city square on the corner of the street.

With the functions of performance, party, relaxation, and sea viewing, the Dionysus Theatre acts as a socially cohesive area of the town.

Meanwhile, it also provides the actors with the possibility of different stage sets and positions.

Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image
Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image
Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image

The actor's activity area will not be limited to the stage but can make use of various heights, angles of the space, and even traffic spaces to perform, inspiring innovative ways of performance.

TIENSTIENS café is located on the first floor of the Dionysus Theatre. Openings along with the cave-like space frame different views of the surrounding city.

Aranya Theatre
 © Schran Image
Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image

VIEWING VS PERFORMING

The essence of theatre architecture is to deal with the relationship between the audience and performers.

In contrast to the traditional theatre which is an enclosed space, the initial design concept was to open up the theatre where the stage takes the sea and the city as background. The stage set is juxtaposed with the real scene of city life, creating a unique seaside theatre.

Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image
Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image

Therefore, at the beginning of the design, a fully openable door was designed at the rear of the stage in the Fengchao Theatre, allowing actors to enter the stage from the street.

The city is thus becoming an extension of the stage, creating an immersive sensual experience. It is a pity that such a design needs to be highly integrated with the repertoire itself. In the end, considering the uncertainty of the repertoire, this idea was not carried out.

Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image
Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image

From another perspective, except for the interaction between audience and performers, the Aranya Theatre itself is a stage for the city, the events in the theatre reflect the Aranya’s urban public life. The design of the outdoor Dionysus Theatre, therefore, returns to the essence of drama—the interpretation of daily life.

The open-air performance with dunes and sea as the background becomes the city's repertoire, and the building itself becomes a deeply integral part of urban life. It connects the natural dunes and the sea with the urban setting to nurture humanistic culture in city life.

Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image
Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image

MATERIALITY

The different materiality of the metal and stone façades endows the three theatres with different characters. The Fengchao Theatre, which is a traditional "black box theatre", can accommodate 300 spectators.

Both of the façade and inner space of the theatre are in black, reflecting the temperament of the Fengchao Theatre as a trailblazer of Chinese experimental drama.

Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image
Aranya Theatre
© Zaiye Studio

The interior design, surround sound system, as well as theatre seating optimize the sound quality within the theatre hall, providing optimal acoustics for the innovative art-making.

The Dionysus Theatre adopts a coral stone from the sea, with the original fossil pores preserved, reflecting its monumentality as an urban public space and implying its connection with the sea.

Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image
Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image

The façade of A Theatre is relatively light in color, and the division of the stone follows the perspective rule of human eyes, depicting a circumbendibus beauty and rhythm.

The Fengchao Theatre and A Theatre are connected by the lobby, extending into the urban fabric. The ceiling structure adopts the triangular grid-like girder system to create a column-free space, which allows visual and physical continuity.

Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image
Aranya Theatre
© Schran Image

An open architecture complex, and a theatre that belongs to the city. We hope it to be not only a hub for performance -sophisticated and adaptable to multiple art forms, but also a social centre in Aranya that encourages social interactions as well as an innovative artistic collaboration.


Aranya Theatre
section
Aranya Theatre
section


Aranya Theatre
master plan
Aranya Theatre
BF plan
Aranya Theatre
1F plan
Aranya Theatre
2F plan


Aranya Theatre
1:500 site model
Aranya Theatre
1:75 model
Aranya Theatre
1:75 model
Aranya Theatre
1:75 model GIF


Aranya Theatre
concept sketch
Aranya Theatre
concept sketch
Aranya Theatre
concept sketch
Aranya Theatre
first draft of Fengchao Theater


Aranya Theatre
Dionysus Theater concept collage
Aranya Theatre
Fengchao Theater concept collage

TAO Trace Architecture Office 迹建筑事务所
T +86 10 84308646
TAO Trace Architecture Office 迹建筑事务所
No. 241-15 Caochangdi Art District, Chaoyang, Beijing, China 100015 北京市朝阳区草场地艺术区241-15 号