The Stone Nest Amphitheatre is a renewal project, of which the predecessor was an abandoned quarry. There are three villages and hundreds of residents around the site, lacking public space for a long time. The project covers an area of about 1500 square meters and did not adopt simple landscaping techniques. It not merely improved the environment and landscape, but also added new buildings and new functions – outdoor theater and café, which not only provides community space for surrounding villagers, but also brings new economic benefits to the village, e.g. holding Music Festival and Drama Festival.

As background of the stage, the original stone wall of the quarry is preserved in the design, which reflects the natural aesthetic of the Orient. The new building conforms to the terrain construction and embraces the stone wall. The architectural modeling is simple and rough, and the heavy façade gives a sense of cave and respond to the history of the original quarry on the site. There are steps and ramps on both sides of the building for people to enter and exit the stage area. The integrated treatment of landscape and architecture makes the architecture integrate into the environment well.

The interior area of the building is about 280 square meters. The sloping roof and irregular skylights indicate the relationship between the building and the stand, and strengthen the dramaticism of the interior. Cave, mine and industrial sense are the basic intention of interior design.

The design adopts a sustainable approach and saves costs: local stones are used as the main building materials, local traditional stone-laying technology is employed to build the facades, natural light and ventilation also ensure the building comfort, reducing energy consumption.

After the completion of the project, it was quickly integrated into the community and highly recognized by the local people. A number of community public activities have been held to solve the problem of lack of daily public space in the area. In the area where the project is located (Weihai City, Shandong Province, China), there are thousands of such quarries, all of which are now shut down and repaired. This case provides them with important inspiration.

Project name: Stone Nest Amphitheatre
Location: Wujiatuan Village, Songshan Residential District, Weihai, Shandong Province, China
Client: People’s Government of Songshan Residential District
Architectural, interior architectural and landscape design: 3anwich Design / He Wei Studio
www.3andwichdesign.com
Principle architect: Prof. Dr. He Wei
Design team: Chen Long, Tang Jing, Li Wanting, Li Junqi, Zhang Jiaojie, Lin Peiqing, Zhao Xingze, Ji Zimeng, Liu Song, Li Hongyu(intern)
Land area: 1500 sqm
Construction area: 280 sqm
Design time: Mar. to June, 2019
Completion time: Oct., 2019
Photography: Jin Weiqi