Verdant Ridges | Wutopia Lab

Verdant Ridges ,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. 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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