Steven Chilton Architects has designed a theatre in Guangzhou, China, which has a shape informed by the city’s historical connection to silk and is imprinted with patterns that represent its current tattoo culture. Named the Sunac Guangzhou Grand Theatre, the building will host performances from visiting production companies as part of a group of entertainment venues being built in the city’s Huadu District. The building’s distinctive cladding was informed by Guangzhou’s history as a key trading port.

“Guangzhou is the birthplace of the Silk Road on the Sea, it has been the home of and inspiration for artists who have helped to define the world’s concept of Chinese culture for thousands of years,” said Steven Chilton Architects founder Steven Chilton.”Aside from its functional purpose, our intention with the design has been to channel the history, emotion, and creative energy of the city through a building whose mission is to nurture the next generation of cultural leaders in the performing arts.”
The theatre is wrapped in undulating red cladding made from triangular panels, which was designed to recall the folds in flowing silk. “We have drawn inspiration from traditional and contemporary arts commonly practised in the region. Silk cloth has been made, painted, and embroidered in the city since the Han Dynasty,” explained Chilton. “We drew from the physicality of the material i...