Identifying the Problems 

© YAO Li

Architects: THAD

Location: Weinan, Shaanxi Province, China

Principal In Charge: ZHUANG Weimin

Design Team: ZHUANG Weimin, ZHANG Wei, GAO Guocheng, LIANG Sisi, KANG Liqiao, PAN Anping, LIU Yichuan, LUO Xinyu, MI Zhong, GAO Guisheng, XU Hua, LI Shuqin, et al.

Site Area: 40000 m2

Photos: YAO Li

Client: Weinan Municipal Bureau of Culture

Total Floor Area: 33942 m2

Height: 24.0 m

Design Period: 2009.7~2010.9

Time Of Completion: 2014.8

© YAO Li

Identifying the Problems The construction of large and medium-sized theaters in second- and third-tier Chinese cities has been in full swing since the beginning of the new century. However, such theaters have faced various problems regarding their operation and maintenance. Our survey of nearly twenty cases has been conducted and the results can be summed up as follows: 
Such theaters cannot sustain normal operation because of ill-chosen business orientation, excessively high operation costs, the shortage of programs, and low consumer demand. 
They cannot afford the cost of electricity due to the heavy energy consumption by the buildings, especially the glass curtain walls. If there is a central hall leading to multiple theatres, all the air conditioners will have to be switched on fo...