JIAN LI JU THEATRE, SHANGHAI
MORE DESIGN OFFICE
The mood and monochrome of film noir lighting has
been used to dramatic effect by More Design Office
for the Jian Li Ju Theatre in Shanghai, which stages
immersive works that involve the audience. The brief
for the 900sqm premises called for an exploration
of form, lighting and circulation, and an assiduous
architectural approach to space, event and movement.
MDO’s response directly references 1950s screen
editing and directorial techniques such as distortion,
repetition and superimposition. ‘With little budget,
Participants in dramas are given
numbers denoting characters in
a play. These are projected on to
the floor outside their changing
rooms. The spaces and lighting
are designed to keep guests
moving for ward like a detective
trailing a suspect
light is used to create atmosphere and suspense,’
says MDO. ‘Many of the plays revolve around
mystery, and when we first got the brief we
immediately were excited by film noir and silent
movies. In these, darkness acts as a medium, where
light and shadow are used for dramatic effect. We
started with a totally dark environment and only
used light to form space, to suggest movement and
direction, and to create atmosphere.’
The audience/players reach the theatre through an
