Stufish Entertainment Architects have designed The Chimelong Theatre, a bespoke Circus Show Theatre location in Zhuhai, China, specifically on Hengqin Island.
The form of the theatre is inspired by two iconic circus elements, the form of the tent and the fold of the stage curtain. These curves and undulations wrap a circular theatre volume that houses a semi-in the round thrust-stage auditorium that seats 6700 visitors. The golden façade of the theatre echoes the two influences with two iconic circus colours, red and blue in opposing directions, giving the façade a kind of static motion.
The theatre has been planned to be highly efficient for ingress and egress, with visitors entering at ground level and exiting at the level one canopy bridge. This allows for a quick change over and increased daily viewing. For emergency purposes the theatre required many protected stair cores that wrapped the theatre, resulting in the undulating façade and exaggerating the curvature of the theatre crown.
The auditorium seating has been designed in two rakes separated by a parade route, above which a track carries scenic elements during key moments in the performance requiring a change over. The theatre façade pierces through the raised forecourt bridge down to the covered entry plaza.