▲ Overhead view
The “See Mount Wutai Again” Theater is situated on the open ground outside the south entrance of the Mount Wutai Scenic Area, positioned between two hills. Designed to accommodate large-scale theatrical performances, the theater boasts a spacious interior measuring 131 meters in length, 75 meters in width, and 21.5 meters in height.
In front of the theater, a 730-meter-long installation called the “Sutra Fold” unfolds gradually. It features inscriptions from the “King of Classics” in the Avatamsaka Sutra. This sequence of seven “folded” spaces opens progressively from high to low, serving as a prelude to the theater experience.
As visitors enter the “Jing Zhe” space, the performance begins—the theater slowly reveals itself like an immense sacred scripture. This design concept makes the “See Mount Wutai Again” theater a unique venue that seamlessly extends from outdoor to indoor space.
▲ Overhead view
▲ Scriptures from the Avatamsaka Sutra
▲ “Economic Folding” and Mountains
The “Jing Zhe” area and the theater are clad in various materials, including stone, glass, and stainless steel. These materials, through their reflective and transparent qualities, dissolve the building’s mass into fluid, undulating patterns of different scales.
These surfaces capture reflections of the surrounding environment—blue skies, white clouds, mountains, trees, and even the audience—blurring the boundaries between presence and absence. This effect softens the building’s outline, reducing its visual impact on the landscape and creating harmony with the environment.
The “lifted” section of “Jing Zhe” forms a passageway for visitors. It reveals the intricate craftsmanship of traditional Chinese wooden architecture, symbolizing the cultural context of the site.
▲ Outdoor area
▲ Outdoor details – Folding wall
As architect Zhu Xiaodi explains, “This is a building with an indescribable form, a building that seems to disappear; a building that can be listened to, a building that invites conversation; a building reflecting history and anticipating the future. It is not merely a building but a place that inspires wisdom.”
▲ Outdoor space
Within the rises and falls of the space, visitors can pause to reflect and engage in a dialogue (BIM design) between themselves, the space, and the surrounding environment. The interplay of light and shadow on a stone and a tree captures the passage of time and the cycles of life, encouraging visitors to let go of worldly distractions, broaden their perspectives, and connect with Buddhist wisdom.
This experience not only offers sensory impact but also stimulates deeper contemplation. Additionally, wind chimes hung outside resonate softly through the valleys, reminiscent of the gentle sound of Buddha’s chant.
▲ Night view
▲ Interior views
Architectural Night Views:
Design Drawings:
▲ General layout plan
▲ Concept sketch: Adding walls to the open space in front of the theater to create layered spatial sequences, reducing the theater’s large volume
▲ Concept sketch: The facade uses modern materials to form layered, abstract patterns that blend seamlessly with the environment
▲ Concept sketch: Using an overall spatial structure approach, the multi-level space in front of the theater transforms into a narrow, gradually widening continuous folding wall
▲ The continuous folded walls create seven and a half enclosed spaces
The folding wall’s height rises in the center section, forming a visually rhythmic curve when viewed from the roadside.
The angle between each adjacent partition wall gradually decreases as the height increases, narrowing the space progressively.
▲ The folding wall’s height gradually increases from south to north
▲ Wall details
Project Information:
Designer: Zhu Xiaodi Studio · BIAD
Location: Mount Wutai Scenic Theater, Huai Town, Wutai County, Xinzhou City, Mount Wutai Province, China
Category: Performing Arts Architecture
Lead Architect: Zhu Xiaodi
Design Team: Gao Bo, Luo Wen, Kong Fanjin, Jia Qi
Building Area: 13,949 m²
Project Year: 2014
Photographers: Fu Xing, Zhu Yong, Wang Xiangdong
Owner: Mount Wutai Administration
Lighting Consultant (BIM Architecture): Lighting Design Studio of Beijing Institute of Architectural Design and Research Co., Ltd
Structural Design: Beijing Jianyuan John Martin International Architectural Design Co., Ltd
Water Supply and Drainage Engineering: Beijing Jianyuan John Martin International Architectural Design Co., Ltd
Air Conditioning System: Beijing Jianyuan John Martin International Architectural Design Co., Ltd
Construction Unit: MCC Tiangong Group Co., Ltd
Stage Design Consultant: Zhejiang Jiahe Cultural Technology Co., Ltd
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up