Yangxian Xishan Yada Theater, Jury Winner of 2021 Architizer A+Awards

Recently, 2021 Architizer A+Awards announced the list of winners. Yangxian Xishan Yada Theater was the Jury Winner in the Cultural-Unbuilt Cultural category.

Locating at Yada Yangxian Xishan in Yixing Yangxian National Resort District, Yada Theater covers about 15000㎡ with the floor area of 5500㎡. It is invested and constructed by Yada. Mr. Lu Hao, one of the well-known architects in China and President & Senior Partner of goa, leads the design to create a ceremonial and symbolic cultural highland.

Yada Theater lies in green hills and tea gardens. Different from many urban performance buildings, it is an authentic “theater in the nature”. In virtue of exceptional natural conditions, the theater uses the thinking manner of openness to create a unique visiting experience integrating art and nature, rather than the design of a “closed box”. The design derives from the cultural allusion of scholar gathering in Song Dynasty for a contemporary cultural coordinate in the nature.

Its functional hall allows the change from open stage to frame stage, which could meet varied kinds of demands on professional performance, such as concerts, drama shows and cultural activities. The stage background creatively uses full-height glass curtain wall to offer immersive experience like sitting on a Song-style couch among the tea garden and waterscape.

As an integrative design project, the design team had a review on the integration effect of lighting and curtain wall design as well as the specialized design of performance hall, stage, light and acoustics, in addition to the design in architecture, interior and landscape. That is a new and significant attempt.

Yada Theater began construction in March 2020 and was estimated to be finished and come into service at the end of 2021. As the main venue for performance activities at Yada Yangxian Xishan, the Theater could not only meet the demands of local residents and travelers on high-quality spirit & culture life, but also further improve the urbanization level at Yixing southern mountain area and boost the local rural revitalization.

A+Awards, one of the world's largest architectural awards programs, is committed to promote and reward the most excellent architectural and product designs. In this year, more than 5000 designs from over 100 countries applied A+Awards. The winners was less than 5% of applications.