The North Shore Auditorium is the fourth architectural space developed in the Qinhuangdao community of Anaya, following the seaside library, auditorium, and restaurant. Unlike the previous three venues that face the sea directly, this auditorium overlooks the Friendship Bay Public Square within the community.
Situated north of the square’s center and adjacent to the cafeteria market, the auditorium is flanked by apartments to the west, and hotels and shops to the south.
Conceptually, the auditorium resembles a precise “music box” placed within the square. The design aims to create a novel type of music hall by orchestrating sound, light, and wind.
The building’s cross-section reveals a layered arrangement: the upper level houses the Heavenly Light Music Hall, while the lower level contains the Meditation Circle Hall. The central concert stage is sunken, viewed from below in the meditation hall like a suspended disc.
Two rows of seating encircle the stage, accommodating up to 48 spectators. During performances, sound permeates the concert hall, flowing through nine copper sound holes located around the seat edges, and dispersing into the meditation hall below.
The top of the concert hall features an adjustable circular air cushion roof. When weather permits and the roof is raised, the hall transforms into an open-air theater.
The Meditation Circle Hall, located on the first floor, stands 9 meters tall. At the corner where the curved wall meets the floor, a 50cm-wide opening fan allows air to circulate vertically, while diffused natural light filters through gaps around the wall’s corners and the suspended disc above.
The seating, crafted from poured concrete, is arranged around the circular hall in a lounge chair formation. This encourages visitors to lean back naturally and experience the harmonious blend of music, natural light, and wind flowing through the space.
A large window opening on the solid east facade offers views of the sea, providing a memorable outlook for the audience during closing ceremonies.
Located at the heart of the community, the auditorium’s floor plan features three prominent facades that align with pedestrian flow entering the square and the sea. Its three concave curves gently recess from the adjacent buildings, together enclosing public spaces of varying atmospheres and scales.
The ground floor is elevated, creating a permeable urban space underneath. This design maintains the openness of the square while offering shaded, sheltered areas for rest.
On the building’s north side, facing the market, a long ramp runs parallel to the curved wall, connecting the square’s ground level with the elevated entrance hall. This guides visitors into the auditorium, inviting exploration of sound and space.
Project Drawings
△ Model Diagram
△ Model Diagram
△ Base Schematic Diagram
△ Square Plan
△ First Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
△ Third Floor Plan
△ Roof Plan
△ Section Diagram
△ Detailed Drawing
△ Hand-drawn Drawing
△ Hand-drawn Drawing
△ Hand-drawn Drawing
△ Hand-drawn Drawing
△ Hand-drawn Drawing
Project Information
Architect: Vertical Architecture
Area: 455 m²
Project Year: 2023
Photographers: Su Shengliang, Existential Architecture – Architectural Photography; Chen Hao, Outdoor Photography Studio
Lead Architect: Dong Gong
Project Architects: Zhao Liangliang, Liu Shida
Design Management: Zhang Han, Li Jinteng
Resident Architects: Zeng Zihao, Tan Yeqian
Project Members: Zeng Zihao, Li Mofei, Zhang Liwen
Structural Design: Ma Zhigang, Zhang Suiping, Zhang Lei
Mechanical and Electrical Design: Qi Xudong, Zhang Fujun, Wang Yafeng, Liu Xiaojie, Yu Weipeng
Collaborative Design Institute Project Architect: Lin Chuanyu
Architect of Collaborative Design Institute: Jiang Yue
Owner: Qinhuangdao Anaya Real Estate Development Co., Ltd.
Collaborative Design Institute: Dalian Architectural Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd.
Lighting Design: Dongliang International Lighting Design (Beijing) Center Co., Ltd.
Acoustic Consultant: Huang Zhanchun Theater Architectural Design Consultant (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
Logo Design: Beijing Sidi Culture Media Co., Ltd.
Construction: Jiangsu Jiangdu Construction Group Co., Ltd.
Location: Qinhuangdao
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