The client invited famous Kun opera actor Mr. Zhang Jun to perform Kaisersaal of Longevity, the most classic repertoire of Kun opera, in the new Kun Opera House.
The architects had the challenge of creating a small opera house inside the sinking style courtyard, without changing the original club building.
Usually conceived as a temporary space separated method in traditional Chinese Garden, the screen in this case were combined with functions of reflecting images and colors. The translucent screens, define the boundary of the Kun Opera House, creating a pure space for the traditional Chinese Opera in a modern way.
Everything here including the screen, the tree, the pool, the fish, the openable roof, the Kongming lantern and the fragrance would help Mr. Zhang Jun to perfectly deduce this famous love tragedy of Li Rongji, Emperor in Tang Dynasty.
This design changed Isozaki’s work from a commercial clubhouse to a cultural center in a subtle way.
