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Musical depicts aspirations of exchange students
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A new musical, “Exchange Students,” is being staged at the KFS Music Box in SAIC Shanghai Culture Square as the final chapter of the “Architecture Musical Series” that has been presented at the outdoor theater since 2014.
The musical tells about a group of exchange students with different cultural backgrounds working together for an eco-friendly architectural project.
Peter Fu, a Chinese-Canadian architect who designed the KFS Music Box years ago, is the producer of the musical and two other works of the “Architecture Musical Series.”
“Many people say that architecture is a solid form of music and there is a subtle connection between the two art forms. As an architect for 30 years, I am always curious about my happy ‘neighbor,’ and I finally got a chance to step in and I am enjoying it,” says Fu.
So far, Fu’s musicals are all about young architects that are based on his own experiences. “Memories of the Valley” (2014), for example, features a group of returned Chinese students who want to contribute to their motherland. “My Albert” (2015) portrays young people with great interest in ancient architecture.
“Exchange Students” describes his overseas experiences and the cultural shock he had when he first arrived in Canada. Fu says that he still remembers his frustrations in the first year abroad after graduating from Shanghai’s Tongji University.
He found some common practices in Chinese architectural design were criticized by his Canadian teachers and classmates. For example, in China restrooms are usually put at the far ends of a floor so that there is natural light and ventilation even in a power outage. But Canadian designers consider it a wasteful practice at the cost of window-view rooms.
“Different backgrounds yield different ideas. Architecture is influenced by culture, needs and economic status of a region,” says Fu. “It is so common for a team with members from different countries to debate on ideas. It is important for them to communicate, understand and learn from each other to achieve their common goals as the exchange students in my musical do in the end.
The KFS Music Box is built with recycled materials and features a natural cooling system. It is exactly the final design portrayed in the musical.
Fu, the real designer of the Music Box, says the open-sided theater has zero damage to the environment. All the materials were recycled and can be used again, including the four containers. Leftover pieces were used for art installations.
To keep the theater cool, the low walls have a lattice design to let air pass through for natural cooling.
“It is like an openwork window in a classical Chinese garden which allows in sunlight and breeze. It is so simple, economical yet effective,” Fu says.
Unlike a conventional theater, the 300 seats are in the center of the Music Box, surrounded by four small stages. The audience can view performances in any direction as they swivel on revolving chairs as if they switch TV channels with a remote control.
Date: Through August 15, 7:30pm
Address: 597 Fuxing Road M.
Tickets: 150 yuan
Tel: 6472-6000
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