The Pinghe Book Theater is the centerpiece of OPEN’s “Settlement Campus” at Shanghai Qingpu Pinghe Bilingual School. This innovative building combines a large library, a 500-seat professional theater, and a 150-seat black box theater into one creative space. Children often compare its unique form to a blue whale or a giant ship. The distinctive architecture and open spaces not only foster a love of reading and performance but also inspire children’s imaginations to explore a vast ocean of knowledge.
Situated at a prominent corner of the Settlement Campus near the intersection of a main city road and an ancient canal, the building’s striking blue color and sloping roof are visible from afar. Its organic skylights, portholes, and circular windows create lively expressions, adding a sense of innocence and childlike charm to the urban environment surrounding this K12 school.
To avoid the monotony of children spending the entire year in a single building, the design departs from the recent trend of large campus mega-structures. Instead, it disassembles and reassembles functions from the original design into individual buildings, creating a settlement-like campus. The library and theater are combined because extensive reading, critical thinking, and expressive performance are essential elements of early education—often overlooked in exam-focused systems. The contrasting activities of stillness and movement inspire unique design solutions reflecting their different spatial needs and atmospheres.
△ Model diagram
Vertical Arrangement
Professional theaters and the black box theater require minimal natural light and excellent sound insulation, so they are located in the lower and central parts of the building. Meanwhile, the library occupies the upper half, creating a clear division based on functional needs.
△ Analysis diagram
OPEN Architects skillfully utilize the height difference between the theater auditorium and the tower, inserting various library spaces within this volume. Stepped reading areas connect spaces of different heights, forming a circular spatial sequence that culminates in a luminous, circular reading room filled with books.
Interior and Exterior Experience
Reading is an intimate and inward activity. The design offers rich, comfortable reading spaces tailored for students from toddlers to teenagers, allowing each child to find their own cozy nook.
There is also an outdoor reading area integrated within the stepped reading room. On pleasant days, children can enjoy fresh air in the sunken rooftop garden.
In contrast, the stage performance experience is dynamic and expressive. This is reflected in the dramatic design of the theater entrance, which features a boldly sloping opening. Inside, warm wooden panels and deep blue walls create a striking visual impact. The first-floor coffee shop offers a welcoming space for parents to read and socialize.
Light and Shadow
Lighting plays a critical role in the library, fulfilling functional needs while shaping the space’s form and rhythm. Numerous skylights on the sloped roof allow natural light to filter gently, creating a calm and inviting reading environment. A large, drum-shaped skylight hangs above the central reading room, illuminating the circular shared reading area and unifying the space with a strong sense of cohesion. The theater, by contrast, is fully isolated from natural light to meet performance requirements, relying on carefully designed artificial lighting.
More broadly, the Pinghe Book Theater serves as a comprehensive cultural center. It acts not only as the spiritual heart of the school but also caters to the surrounding community. Positioned deliberately at a secondary campus entrance, the building can be accessed independently without disrupting school operations, fostering a vital hub for teachers, students, parents, and local residents.
△ First floor plan
△ Section A
Project Information
Location: Shanghai, China
Architect: OPEN Architects
Area: 5,372 m²
Year: 2020
Photography: Lei Tantan, Wu Qingshan, Chen Hao
Interior Design: OPEN Architecture Firm
Lead Architects: Li Hu, Huang Wenjing
Design Team: Ye Qing, Shi Bingjie, Yang Ling, Tan Qingjun, Lu Di, Daijiro Nakayama, Lin Bihong, Chen Xiuyuan, Zhou Tingting, Zou Xiaowei, Liu Xunfeng, Li Lingna
Collaborative Design Institute: Shanghai Original Design Consulting Co., Ltd.
Structural and Electromechanical: Jianyan Technology Co., Ltd.
Curtain Wall Consultant: Jianyan Technology Co., Ltd.
Theater and Acoustic Consultant: Shanghai Wangyin Culture Development Co., Ltd.
Lighting Consultant: Shanghai Modern Architectural Decoration Environment Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd.
Client: Shanghai Tixue Education Technology Co., Ltd.
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