The world’s first Sphinx Metaverse Drama Festival invited Liu Haowei to lead CAA Architecture in designing a theater city within the metaverse—the “God of Wine Theater.” The Metaverse Planning Bureau | META CAALAB, in partnership with Baidu’s technical team, successfully developed and constructed the “God of Wine Theater.” This building made its stunning debut on Baidu’s largest metaverse platform in China, known as “Xiliang.”
© CAA architects
“The ‘God of Wine Theater’ resembles a floating life form—dynamic, energetic, and continuously evolving.” — Liu Haowei
© CAA architects
In ancient Greek, the Sphinx symbolizes “vivid imagination.” Today, the metaverse is a modern Sphinx—a realm filled with the unknown, the future, and the unseen. The Sphinx Metaverse Drama Festival fosters the collision of imagination and technology, breaking boundaries and expanding possibilities for new insights into the essence and future of drama.
© CAA architects
Dionysus, the god of wine in ancient Greek mythology, represents joy, emotion, ritual, and presides over human theatrical culture. His spirit embodies the vitality and creativity born from harmony between humans and nature, long considered the foundation of drama’s origins in ancient Greece.
© CAA architects
The META CAALAB team at CAA Architecture deconstructs both the classical and avant-garde elements of drama to create a futuristic, technological, and surreal theater city in the metaverse—the “Dionysus Theater.”
© CAA architects
Unlike traditional theater spaces that have a singular form, this building’s spatial system is based on the decentralized logic of the metaverse. It consists of three main components of varying scales that are both distinct yet organically connected.
© CAA architects
The courtyard, where these three entities converge, forms a magical pilgrimage site for drama and serves as the main entrance to the entire theatrical city. It functions like a central nervous system, connecting the diverse elements of the city across multiple dimensions.
© CAA architects
The overall design powerfully expresses the cultural spirit of drama and architectural artistry. It aims to become a landmark destination for drama culture in the metaverse, offering a fresh, imaginative, and avant-garde stage for audiences and users alike.
© CAA architects
© CAA architects
The Sphinx Metaverse Drama Festival, the first of its kind worldwide, will be held both online and offline from April 15 to May 7, 2023.
© CAA architects
During the Sphinx Theatre Festival, audiences can access Baidu’s “Xirang” platform to freely explore four exciting exhibitions inside the “God of Wine Theater.” This immersive experience pushes the boundaries of drama through cross-disciplinary creators. Featured exhibitions include the Bi Heng Drama Concept Picture Exhibition titled “The World of Machine Music,” Chen Xu Renren’s Photography Exhibition “Avatar No.72,” the AI Drama Poster Exhibition “Stranger Contact 3.0,” and the Sphinx Metaverse Drama Festival Image Exhibition.
Project Information
Project Name: Dionysus Theatre
Client: Sphinx Metaverse Drama Festival
Project Time: April 2023
Project Location: Baidu Xiliang Metaverse Platform
Design and Development: CAA Architecture Firm | META CAALAB
Lead Architect: Liu Haowei
Project Architect (Design, Technology): Ye Wenjie
Design Team: Li Shuyao, Lu Jingli
Collaborative Development Technology Team: Baidu Xiliang
General Technical Guidance: Ma Jie (Founder of Xiliang)
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