Auerbach Pollock Friedlander Honored with a 2021 MONDO-DR Awards for the Sunac Guangzhou Grand Theatre

	The Sunac Guangzhou Grand Theatre's facade in Huadu, Guangzhou, China.

Auerbach Pollock Friedlander (APF) has won the Theatre Category of the 2021 MONDO-DR Awards for the Sunac Guangzhou Grand Theatre.

Guangzhou, the birthplace of the "Silk Road on the Sea," has flourished since the Han Dynasty. As a home for traditional and contemporary artists, Guangzhou has been a center for the both arts and trading. The concept for the Sunac Guangzhou Grand Theatre's facade in Huadu, Guangzhou, China, was inspired by silk embroidery, the illustrations of artist Zhang Hongfei and tattoo art. The Grand Theatre is poised to become the preeminent rental theatre venue in the region.

Auerbach Pollock Friedlander's leadership of the design process for the 1,970-seat theatre provided a unique set of theatrical systems rarely provided in rental venues available for use by a wide range of performing artists. APF designed the theatre's 10m diameter stage lift system which is surrounded by water fountain effects. Overhead rigging includes scenic flying hoists, and acrobatic flying and track and trolley systems controlled by a sophisticated automation system.

The video projection system allows for complex mapping of virtual scenery and visual effects on surfaces at the stage and in the auditorium, using a combination of laser video projectors. The system uses sophisticated tracking cameras and infrared emitters to precisely map images onto fixed surfaces and moving scenery and performers.

Architect: Steven Chilton Architects
Local design institute: Beijing Institute of Architectural Design
Size: Approximately 28,000sqm; 1,970 seats
Completion: 2020