Design

#architecture #China #flight #skydiving #stunts #theater

The Shaolin Flying Monks Temple Blasts Monks Into the Sky Above a Mountainside Amphitheater

March 13, 2017

Christopher Jobson

All photos by Ansis Starks, courtesy Mailitis Architects

Perched on the Songshan mountain in rural Henan, China, this new temple designed by Latvian architecture studio Mailītis Architects brings a whole new perspective to the legendary Shaolin monks: specifically an aerial perspective. The recently completed Shaolin Flying Monks Temple contains a one-of-a-kind levitation pavilion that houses a vertical wind tunnel designed in part by Aerodium that blasts participants toward the sky in the center of a 230-seat amphitheater.

“The concept is to tell the history of Zen and Kung-Fu through artistic performances and architectural image of the building itself,” says Mailītis. “It serves as a metaphor for mountain and trees and was inspired by Songshan mountain – the natural environment for monks to develop their skills.”

You can see more photos of the new landmark building on Mailītis Architects’ website.

 

#architecture #China #flight #skydiving #stunts #theater

 

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