Located near the seaside of Hainan, looking to the ocean, the project is intended to create a place for people to gather and appreciate the performance as well as the sounding nature environment. Our design is inspired by coral reef both acoustically, in terms of form, and socially, in terms of organization. Coral reefs are underwater structures built by tiny sea animals. They are the most diverse habitats on the planet. In stony corals, also known as hard corals, the coral polyps produce a skeleton composed of calcium carbonate to strengthen and protect the soft, lively organisms that sustain the vitality of the habitats. In the design, we envision a similar soundproof shell to protect the lively civic activities happening inside.

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Also, We would like to emphasize the concept of civic space and equality in the design of the theatre itself. In this part, we use ancient Roman auditoriums as our reference (“place for hearing”). The fan-shape open stage provides a good view into the proscenium opening for the performance. The auditorium also has a great circular shape for municipal conferences. Every audience member feels close to the lecturers and can hear the speech clearly. There are 224 seats in total (with all arm chairs). First row and last row use removable chairs, which will provide the flexibility for wheelchair users to choose their seats. 

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Coral reefs are also co-habit ecosystems of various activities and species. Similarly, we envision a municipal building that is not only a place of authority (the power of government), but also a civic space and a lively social ecosystem, which hosts various activities and people from different races, cultures, genders and ages.