Chongqing 1949 Grand Theatre

In recent years, large indoor themed theaters built around regional cultural-industry development and communication have continued to gain popularity in China, and related architectural projects have appeared one after another. Chongqing 1949 Grand Theater is the first phase of the large-scale cultural tourism project at Ciqikou Jinbi Main Street in Chongqing, and is the dedicated theater for the large red-history stage drama Chongqing 1949. Environment and concept: in considering the project's relationship with its surroundings, the designers focused on two aspects, dissolution and integration on the one hand, and control and ordering on the other. Through spatial means, the design softens the building's massive volume and integrates it with the complex surrounding environment in terms of space, function, and circulation; at the same time, it fully exploits the special spatial and formal influence of the themed theater to control and order external elements, achieving mutual constraint and integration between individual and group, true dissolution of site boundaries, mutual adaptation of scene behavior, and shared spirit of place. Space and technology: the main body of the building is a combined auditorium-and-stage hall measuring 80 meters long, 72 meters wide, and 26 meters high; all performance-related spaces and equipment, such as rotating seating and movable stages, are tightly tied to the dramatic development. The architectural form uses a centripetal spiral inclined-plane division, with a red curved glass curtain wall at the center, generating a spiral-upward formal relationship from the plaza. Sharing principles bring in diverse space types such as a cafe, cultural-creative experience shop, and themed gallery, stimulating place behavior and highlighting spatial vitality. Construction and detail: the curved central body is formed by a transparent glass curtain wall wrapping a red relief wall; the relief is composed of the characters 1949 in different typefaces arranged in combinations. The main wall uses textured GRC artificial stone, and each panel is hand-chiseled so that every piece carries a different texture. Exploration and practice: the team interprets the local cultural meaning of Chongqing 1949 Grand Theater through its unique understanding of red themes and regional culture, successfully continuing red culture and projecting local culture. Chongqing 1949 Grand Theater opened successfully for the centennial of the founding of the Party, receiving high praise from audiences and media and quickly becoming a new calling card for Chongqing's urban cultural tourism.