青嶂丨中国苏州丨Wuto mills by Wutopia Lab

浮生偶记

姑苏城外寒山寺，桃花坞里青宵门。至此无心便无事，长江后浪接昆仑。

——俞挺（缀张继化吴融句得古风七绝一首）

Ephemeral Encounters

Beyond Gusu’s gates, Cold Mountain stands, By Peach Blossom Cove, the Midnight Door spans. Here, heart unburdened, all worries cease, As Yangtze’s waves embrace Kunlun’s peace.

— Yu Ting (woven from Zhang Ji and Wu Rong’s verses in ancient style)

▼青嶂南立面图，Verdant Ridges south elevation view ©刘国威

Wutopia Lab 受委托，在苏州桃花坞历史文化片区，以唐伯虎为主题，打造出一座自废墟中崛起的“青嶂”剧场。

Wutopia Lab was commissioned to create the “Verdant Ridges ” (青嶂) Theater in Suzhou’s historic Taohuawu district. Inspired by Tang Bohu, this theater emerges from the ruins, embodying a poetic dialogue between history and contemporary architecture.

▼青嶂远眺图，Verdant Ridges view overlook ©刘国威

这里原为新光丝织厂，而改造后的5号楼则成为集苏式舞台剧演绎与中型会议于一体的多功能剧场。

The site was originally home to the Xinguang Silk Weaving Factory. The renovated Building No. 5 has now been transformed into a versatile theater, seamlessly integrating Suzhou-style stage performances with medium-sized conferences.

▼青嶂建筑外观，Verdant Ridges exterior ©刘国威

唐伯虎

Tang Bohu

在建筑改造领域，常见的做法无外乎两种：一是对立面或局部进行全新设计；二是尽量保留原貌。Wutopia Lab 希望跳出这两极，探索出一条全新的路径。以唐伯虎跌宕起伏的一生为灵感，我们不仅关注旧建筑的历史沉淀，更赋予其全新的艺术生命。

In architectural renovation, the common approaches typically fall into two categories: completely redesigning parts of the structure or preserving its original form as much as possible. Wutopia Lab seeks to break free from this binary and explore a new path. Inspired by the dramatic life of Tang Bohu, we go beyond merely preserving the historical depth of the old building—we breathe new artistic life into it.

▼青嶂入口，Verdant Ridges entrance ©刘国威

唐伯虎的蜕变｜Metamorphosis of Tang Bohu

1499年，唐伯虎因科举舞弊案牵连，失去仕途，从而促成了他作为艺术天才的诞生。原本被视为前程似锦的官途骤然断裂，迫使他开辟出一片令人惊叹的艺术天地。我们将旧工厂视作封建桎梏，而新剧场则象征唐伯虎对束缚的突破与华丽转身。

In 1499, Tang Bohu’s promising official career was abruptly cut short due to his implication in an imperial examination scandal. This downfall, however, became the catalyst for his artistic genius to fully emerge. Stripped of the bureaucratic path he once pursued, he carved out a new realm of artistic brilliance. We see the old factory as a symbol of feudal constraints, while the new theater represents Tang Bohu’s liberation and metamorphosis.

▼青嶂南立面图，Verdant Ridges south elevation ©刘国威

▼青嶂南立面局部，Verdant Ridges south elevation ©刘国威

▼青嶂南立面局部，Verdant Ridges south elevation ©刘国威

唐伯虎擅长山水与人物画。传统山水多以黑白为基调，而人物则富含生动色彩。结合Wutopia Lab善用色彩的特点，我们大胆尝试将唐伯虎人物画的鲜艳色彩融入其山水之中，形成一种既保留古典韵味又充满现代感的新视觉形象。你或许会注意到东侧那根宛如倒置画笔的独特柱子——它既是一座隐形的纪念碑，也象征着艺术传承的力量。▼轴测生成图，Axonometric diagram© Wuto-mills by Wutopia Lab

Tang Bohu was a master of landscape and figure painting. Traditional landscape paintings were often monochromatic, while figure paintings were rich in color and vibrancy. Drawing from Wutopia Lab’s expertise in bold use of color, we have infused the vivid hues of Tang Bohu’s figure paintings into his landscapes, creating a new visual language—one that honors classical elegance while embracing modernity. You might notice a unique column on the east side, resembling an inverted paintbrush. More than just a structural element, it stands as both a subtle monument and a symbol of artistic legacy.

▼青嶂南立面夜景图，Verdant Ridges south elevation view at night ©刘国威

▼青嶂南立面夜景，Verdant Ridges south elevation view at night ©刘国威

唐伯虎的内心｜The Inner World of Tang Bohu

尽管唐伯虎被誉为江南才子、风流倜傥的代表，其《桃花庵歌》却流露出一种内敛典雅的情怀。他渴望在华丽外表背后，保留一份内心的平静与尊严。剧场室内采用黑白灰的极简配色，既回应中国传统戏剧中服饰与表演的华丽，又引导观众穿越外在繁华，走进唐伯虎那朴实、静谧的心灵世界。

Though celebrated as a literary genius of Jiangnan and a symbol of romantic elegance, Tang Bohu’s Peach Blossom Hermitage Song reveals a more introspective and refined sensibility. Beneath his flamboyant persona, he longed to preserve a sense of inner tranquility and dignity. The theater’s interior embraces a minimalist palette of black, white, and gray, responding to the opulent costumes and performances of traditional Chinese theater while guiding the audience beyond external splendor—into the quiet, unadorned depths of Tang Bohu’s soul.

▼演员合照，Photograph for the theater actor ©桃花坞剧场

▼青嶂二楼露台，Verdant Ridges second floor terrace ©刘国威

室外以青绿山水为景，室内则呈现黑白山水的简约之美。设计中借鉴国画“皴法”笔触，利用吸音板与艺术涂料刻画出纵向肌理；增设夹层，其轮廓与一楼倾斜墙面遥相呼应，营造出仿若步入深山的沉浸式体验。

Outside, the landscape is rendered in verdant hues, evoking classical green-blue Shan Shui paintings, while the interior transforms into monochrome landscapes, embodying serene simplicity. Inspired by the “cún” (皴) brushstrokes of Chinese ink painting, thedesign incorporates acoustic panels and artistic coatings to create rich vertical textures. A mezzanine level echoes the inclined walls of the ground floor, immersing visitors in an experience reminiscent of venturing deep into the mountains.

▼青嶂一层室内，Verdant Ridges first floor interior ©刘国威

▼青嶂一层室内，Verdant Ridges first floor interior ©刘国威

Wutopia Lab为剧场定制的舞台采用工字型设计，打破常规布局，实现现代与明末时空的交错。观众仿佛置身时光隧道，亲历唐伯虎的传奇人生。因苏州历史文化名城保护要求，无法拆除舞台中央的柱子，采用黑色木饰面包覆。部分看台因地制宜设为站立区，灵活应对不同演出需求。

The custom-designed stage adopts an I-shaped (工)layout, breaking away from conventional theater configurations to create a temporal interplay between the present and the late Ming dynasty. Audiences step into what feels like a time tunnel, experiencing Tang Bohu’s legendary life firsthand. Due to Suzhou’s historic preservation regulations, the central column of the stage could not be removed. Instead, it has been cladded in black wood paneling, seamlessly integrating it into the design. Certain seating areas have been adapted into standing zones, allowing for greater flexibility to accommodate different performance needs.

▼青嶂一层室内，Verdant Ridges first floor interior ©刘国威

一层墨色山影连绵，一侧设有售票处与吧台，另一侧则为化妆间；二楼设有监控室，并通过北侧外部楼梯联通屋顶。我们对旧混凝土结构、新夹层及装饰层分别采用不同处理方式，强化了新旧对比：粗犷与细腻在此交织，机电、舞台装置与灯光布局也经过精心整合，尽量保证夹层的净高。

▼室内分析图，Diagram-interior © Wuto-mills by Wutopia Lab

On the ground floor, undulating ink-wash mountain silhouettes form a backdrop, reinforcing the theatrical atmosphere. To the left, a ticket office and bar provide functional amenities, while the right houses the dressing rooms. The second floor features a control room, with an external staircase on the north side leading to the rooftop. We employed distinct treatment strategies for the existing concrete structure, new mezzanine, and decorative elements, accentuating the contrast between raw and refined textures. The careful integration of mechanical systems, stage equipment, and lighting layouts ensures that the mezzanine maintains optimal ceiling height, preserving both functionality and spatial harmony.

▼青嶂一层室内，Verdant Ridges first floor interior ©刘国威

▼青嶂二层连廊，Verdant Ridges second floor corridor ©刘国威

对偶

Duality in Design

前场景观利用金属网营造出虚幻山景，与金属板包覆的实景山体形成鲜明对比；大门处以山的负形构成前景，成为剧场的视觉焦点。因紧邻消防站，新建建筑向北侧退让，形成一片灰色结构空间，引导人们走入檐下互动区。二楼露台仿佛隐于群山之间，从观者初见建筑之刻起，便已踏入一场古今交融的戏剧体验。

The foreground landscape is shaped by metal mesh, crafting an ethereal mountain silhouette that contrasts sharply with the solid, metal-clad mountain forms behind it. At the entrance, a negative space of a mountain becomes the theater’s visual focal point, framing the transition into the performance realm. Due to its proximity to a fire station, the new structure is set back to the north, creating a gray-toned threshold space that naturally leads visitors into the interactive area beneath the eaves. The second-floor terrace, nestled among the peaks, offers a moment of retreat—an illusion of standing amidst the mountains—immersing visitors in a theatrical interplay of past and present from the moment they first encounter the building.

▼青嶂入口，Verdant Ridges entrance ©刘国威

▼青嶂建筑入口顶视图，Verdant Ridges entrance top view ©刘国威

金属幕墙采用四种色彩与厚度的金属板，并在施工中通过采用V型板统一角落厚度，解决了阴阳角的施工难题；屋面则以金属网围合出梯形，暗示着外立面山体的延续与层次感。

The metal curtain wall employs four variations of metal panels in both color and thickness. To unify the transitions at inner and outer corners, V-shaped panels were strategically used during construction, resolving complex junction details. Meanwhile, the roof is framed by a trapezoidal metal mesh, subtly echoing the layered contours of the mountain façade, extending its rhythm beyond the building’s edge.

▼青嶂建筑材料细节，Verdant Ridges material detail ©刘国威

▼青嶂建筑材料细节，Verdant Ridges material detail ©刘国威

第三种思路

A Third Approach

我们在这里表达了对唐伯虎的演绎又融入了Wutopia Lab的理解，这就是第三种思路。这种既非全然改造，也非一味保留的改造模式，正是历史与当下平等对话的真实写照。剧场常驻剧目更是一场古今对话，演员在工字型舞台上穿梭奔跑，将古与今巧妙融合。

Here, we have not only reinterpreted Tang Bohu’s story but also infused it with Wutopia Lab’s vision—this is the third approach. Neither a complete reconstruction nor a rigid preservation, this method embodies an equitable dialogue between history and the present. The theater’s resident production echoes this interplay, where actors weave through the I-shaped stage, seamlessly blurring the boundaries between past and present.

▼青嶂建筑立面局部，Verdant Ridges south elevation ©刘国威

▼青嶂立面局部，Verdant Ridges south elevation ©刘国威

Wutopia Lab一直坚持的是什么？是尊重主流，一直试图找到一条跟别人不一样的道路。

What has Wutopia Lab always stood for? It is respect for the mainstream, while persistently seeking a path unlike any other.

▼青嶂建筑立面局部，Verdant Ridges south elevation ©刘国威

▼青嶂柱子，Verdant Ridges column ©刘国威

“一个人能够看见他拥有什么，但看不见他是什么。”——维特根斯坦

“A man can see what he has, but not what he is. ”—Wittgenstein

▼青嶂外摆楼梯，Verdant Ridges outside staircase ©刘国威

后记

Postscript

Wutopia Lab在项目中探索不一样的审美，新的观念，探讨社会、文化和人的意义，探讨新技术。在这个项目，Wutopia Lab把剧院看成一个超级互文本。建筑性作为一类文本和其他比如象征，历史，艺术家生活和风格文本编织在一起。对于象征成见和秩序的旧建筑的拆除，设计师也把当代工人的施工半成品，这一偶然性成果作为文本一起编织进来。新和旧，历史和当下，偶然和必然，最后形成的文本视觉效果是设计师设定的开放性结尾。它和常见的风格不一样，是Wutopia Lab的一种风格尝试。因为Wutopia Lab不想重复已知的风格，包括自己。Wutopia Lab希望这次实验能成为城市更新的一种可能。它出于对具体个人，唐伯虎的考虑和研究。把这研究以建筑的方式表达出来，这次改造如何再次激活社区的社会意义的效果显现，可能还需要等待一阵。

In our projects, Wutopia Lab explores diverse aesthetics, new concepts, and the significance of society, culture, and individuals while also investigating emerging technologies. In this project, Wutopia Lab envisioned the theater as a super intertextual entity. Architectural elements, as a form of text, are interwoven with other texts, such as symbolism, history, the lives of artists, and stylistic narratives. As the old building, laden with symbolic biases and rigid order, was dismantled, the designers incorporated the semi-finished work of contemporary construction workers—an accidental outcome—into the narrative as well. The interplay between the new and the old, history and the present, contingency and inevitability, ultimately resulted in a textual visual effect designed as an open-ended conclusion. It stands apart from conventional stylistic approaches and represents Wutopia Lab’s experimental aesthetic. This is because Wutopia Lab does not seek to repeat known styles, including its own. Wutopia Lab hopes this experiment can offer a potential approach to urban renewal. It stemmed from a thoughtful study of an individual—Tang Bohu—and aimed to translate this research into an architectural expression. The extent to which this transformation will reinvigorate the social significance of the community may take some time to fully reveal itself.

▼场地平面图，site © Wuto-mills by Wutopia Lab

▼一层平面图，first floor© Wuto-mills by Wutopia Lab

▼二层平面图，second floor© Wuto-mills by Wutopia Lab

项目信息

项目名称：青嶂

设计公司：Wuto-mills by Wutopia Lab

主持建筑师：俞挺

项目建筑师：孙丽然

设计团队：潘大力，熊佳幸，陈一苇（实习）

施工图设计单位：大洲设计咨询集团有限公司苏州分公司

业主单位：苏州市德必桃花坞文化旅游产业发展有限责任公司

施工单位：江苏金生水建设有限公司

照明顾问：张宸露，尉诗羽

摄影：Daily建筑摄影｜刘国威

地址：苏州，中国

时间：2024.5-2024.12

面积：282平方米

材料：铝板，金属网，吸音板

Project Information

Project Name: Verdant Ridges (青嶂)

Design Firm: Wuto-mills by Wutopia Lab

Chief Architect: YU Ting

Project Architect: SUN Liran

Design Team: PAN Dali, XIONG Jiaxing, Vi CHEN(Intern)

Construction Drawing Consultant: Dazhou Design & Consulting Group Co., Ltd.

Client: Suzhou DoBe Taohuawu Cultural Tourism Industry Development Co., Ltd.

Construction Contractor: Jiangsu Jinshengshui Construction Co., Ltd.

Lighting Consultants: Chloe ZHANG, WEI Shiyu

Photography：LIU Guowei

Loacation: Suzhou, China

Timeline: 2024.5-2024.12

Area: 282 sqm

Materials: Aluminum panels, metal mesh, acoustic panels