Architecture Building of Red Diamond Dance Theater by Chiasmus PartnersThe Red Diamond was until recently used as an old factory complex in the historic DongCheng district of Beijing, CHINA. Chiasmus Partners was assigned the building transformation of this old factory into a dance center with a performance hall, a practice hall and a saloon which would host various events and activities. Chiasmus Partners approached the building transformation by adding an exterior shell to the already existing building. They tried to emphasize the temperament and the character of the new program of the building. They enclosed the old factory by covering it in an evenly –spaced-out red steel tubing shell.The red steel tubes create a distorted boundary between the interior and the exterior. The red steel shell has a triangulated approach of design where vectors are pulled away from two focal points to create large triangles. This design allows for the creation of shaded areas on the façade and therefore adds an interesting touch of design to the building exterior. A part of the façade has been left untouched and that is no other than the entrance where the old white vintage door as it is meant to portray the history of the building’s transformation. The concept by Chiasmus Partners was to create the courtyard an outdoor “theater” — a public space that would revitalize the complex, the hutong and its neighborhood.
