义乌大剧院丨MAD Architects

Newly released images of MAD Architect's Yiwu Grand Theater proposal showcase beautiful glass sails

Yiwu Grand Theater model. Image © MAD Architects

The Yiwu Grand Theater's larger than life presence along the Dongyang River is not all for show.

MAD Architects

aims to create a structure that will be a "monument for the city

.

" Envisioned as an immersive public space for inhabitants and visitors alike, the overall design for the

theater

will function as a beautiful cultural destination intending on "connecting inhabitants to the waterfront from a new perspective," according to MAD's recent press release.

Yiwu Grand Theater model. Image © MAD Architects

Yiwu Grand Theater model. Image © MAD Architects

The entrancing

glass

sails are designed to mimic the traditional Chinese junks that filled the waters of the city traditionally known for its trading history. Considered a growing center for international trade and commerce, MAD decided to use the curves from the sails of these

ships

to express a weightless and transparent design for the theater's

canopy

.

Image © MAD Architects

Image © MAD Architects

Image © MAD Architects

According to the design team, "the transparency and lightness of the glass express the texture of thin, silky fabric, creating a dynamic rhythm that makes them appear as if they are blowing in the wind. They act as a protective canopy around the building, resonating with the river, elegantly floating above the water's surface

,

setting a romantic atmosphere." The semi-transparent glass used will also provide shade and reduce energy consumption as part of the theater's passive

solar

design. Theater construction is set to begin in 2020.