Project Name:
Shanghai Zhenru Hai Xin Theater
Location:
Putuo District, Shanghai, China
Architectural Design:
Beijing Institute of Architectural Design (BIAD)
Architectural Area:
12,189 m²
Completion Year (Architecture):
2023
Exposed Concrete Area:
13,500 m²
Exposed Concrete Consulting:
Hangzhou Feimu Architectural Engineering Management Co., Ltd.
Photography Copyright:
China Overseas Property, FORME
Shanghai Zhenru Haixin Theater, located in the Zhenru sub-center of Putuo District, spans approximately 12,189 sqm and features a 1,000-seat multifunctional auditorium. Designed to accommodate over 90% of domestic productions, it will serve as the main Shanghai venue for Mahua FunAge.
Conceived as an “urban cultural living room,” the theater’s design features a minimalist white form. The façade is crafted in high-precision fair-faced concrete, using sculptural geometry to express the purity of contemporary theater architecture.
The project posed significant challenges with its flowing curves and strict surface smoothness requirements. Covering 13,500 sqm of fair-faced concrete across exterior and interior surfaces, the structure adopts a hybrid system combining concrete and steel to achieve its complex form.
FORME was involved throughout the project, providing end-to-end services for fair-faced concrete—from early design validation to on-site quality control. Through precise detailing and frequent on-site collaboration, the team ensured faithful execution of the design intent.
A key strategy was the use of strategically placed expansion joints to divide complex surfaces into manageable units, absorbing thermal stress and preventing cracks. This approach preserved the concrete’s aesthetic integrity while enhancing long-term durability—realizing a true architectural “theater in form.”
