Exploration, excavation, transportation and use of the coal are the witness to the civilization of human beings and the development of society. However, long-term mining inevitably leads to the exhaustion of the coal. The Gushuyuan Coal Mine in Jincheng, Shanxi Province is a typical representative. In recent years, resource-exhausted cities have been seeking the possibility of transformation of development. Under such circumstance, the Star Grand Theatre Project is established which is a bold attempt in marking into the field of the cultural and Tourist industry by taking use of the original site of the Gushuyuan Coal Mine, and bears the future of the city.
Located in the Southern Taihang Mountains, Jincheng city, featuring its unique natural endowments of majestic mountains, dense primitive forests, peculiar karst caves, clear rivers, lakes and waterfalls, is one of the earliest birthplaces of Chinese civilization. In the north side of the project locates the Chenghao Academy of North Song Dynasty and the Gushuyuan Coal Mine.
Jincheng has a long history of coal culture. Ever since the ancient "capital of coal and iron" lasting to the current Gushuyuan Coal Mine, each of the Jincheng citizens shares a deep spiritual strength from the coal mine culture. Nonetheless the exhaustion of the coal resources, the history it carries will be the inexhaustible historical and cultural resources.
The burning coal presents a bright yellow flame jumping and dancing over the deep dark coal, which can be described as "burning itself to illuminate others". Such a vivid contrast of color and motion constitutes our first impression and real feelings of the coal.
The design arranges the functions reasonably on the land, forms a number of simple blocks with an appearance of golden material. Above them, multi-level and hollow mountain-shaped metal mesh wall is arranged from north to south in turn, ups and downs as it stretches, it forms a grand space-narrative scene that reminds people of the magnificent Taihang Mountains. At the same time, the black color metaphors the huge coal mountain formed by coal mining, suggesting the previous coal production scene in the site.
Restricted by the site conditions, the main entrances and exits can only be arranged on the north side. The design is to use such adverse conditions, adopt multi-level hollow metal mesh wall to extend southward from the north ground to the roof, in this way the light from the south can penetrate forming a mottled and changeable effect, and the light transmitted looks like burning flame.