The work of the late Mark Fisher has been realised with the opening of Stufish Entertainment Architect’s Dai Show Theatre in Xishuangbanna, China.

Fisher, who died in 2013, drew the initial concept designs for the Dai Show Theatre, which hosts a permanent 75-minute acrobatic water display created by show producers Dragone.

Key to the Xishuangbanna’s cultural offering, the 19,500sq m (209,900sq ft) theatre is inspired by the natural and cultural themes of the local area. The building’s golden roof mimics the rainforest surrounding it, with the two-tiered roof acting as a canopy for the open air lobby below, supported by tree-like columns encircling the theatre. According to Stufish, the roof also allows for natural ventilation of the mezzanine lobby, with openings offering views of the surrounding area.

Moving to the theatre’s interior, the organic design continues with ‘leaves’ forming a golden pattern on the walls twisting up to the ceiling, a theme which runs through the VIP areas and suites.

The spherical auditorium surrounds a 1,400sq m (15,000sq ft) stage split into three sections. The main stage incorporates a 14-metre-wide (46 foot) performance basin with an 8-metre-wide (26 foot) plunge pool designed for a dramatic 15m (49 foot) high-dive off a catwalk sitting above. The adjacent forestage, along with the central stage can be wet or dry, while the final performance area is a dry upstage, designed to convey ‘infinity’ during the shows while doubling as a storage area. The performance area is designed so each stage can be separately flooded and filled within 45 seconds and then drained in just 20 seconds. Stufish has also integrated ten acrobatic gates with a 3D flying system into the design of the roof structure, allowing performers to fly above the stage and the audience.

China IPPR International Engineering handled construction design, while Atelier One acted as concept engineers. Surrounding landscape design was handled by DL&C Landscapes and Auerbach Pollock Friedlander were theatre consultants.

“Upon arriving in Xishuangbanna it was difficult not to be impressed by its natural beauty,” said Maciej Woroniecki, architect for the building. “The ever-present palms gifted us a geometry which informed the primary structure of the theatre in a way that was efficient, elegant and interesting to view. This naturally became the living thread for design of the interiors, façade and, further still, into the set design of the show. We wanted the theatre to seamlessly connect to its surroundings, as if it was a living and growing addition to the wider garden of Xishuangbanna.”

The theatre is part of the recently launched US$2.5bn (€2.2bn, £1.6bn) Wanda Xishuangbanna International Resort in Yunnan province. In addition to the theatre, the resort includes apartments, shopping malls, bars and restaurants, hotels, a golf course and a theme park.

Wanda launches latest mega development with US$2.5bn Xishuangbanna Resort