Exhibitor’s Stories

Reviving a local tradition in the middle of the city

During major festivals and purification rites, makeshift theatres made of bamboo poles are built around villages in Hong Kong so villagers can enjoy Cantonese opera performed by traveling troupes. Inspired by these traditional facilities that are still being built today, West Kowloon Bamboo Theatre 2013 was designed by the Hong Kong team at CL3 Architects featuring innovations such as nylon mesh cladding and theatrical-style LED lighting to update a classic structure. Using bamboo and timber logs, a column-free span of 25 metres was made possible by engineering research and traditional craftsmanship to give the majority of the audience an obstruction-free view and provide a maximum seating capacity of 800. The growing importance of local identity was communicated through reviving a traditional structure in the middle of the city.