Theatre by Cheng Tsung FENG Design Studio: Reviving Taiwan’s Bamboo Stage Tradition

Cheng Tsung FENG Design Studio has masterfully reinterpreted a disappearing Taiwanese cultural heritage with Theater, a monumental bamboo installation situated at the historic Wenwu Temple in Lukang, Changhua. Rooted in the preservation of traditional crafts and collective memories, this project revives the iconic bamboo opera stage, a once-prevalent structure central to temple festivals and communal performances, now rarely seen in contemporary Taiwan.

In a remarkable fusion of tradition and contemporary design, Cheng Tsung FENG Design Studio presents Theatre, an outdoor bamboo installation that celebrates Taiwan’s fading cultural heritage. Situated at the historic Wenwu Temple in Lukang—an architectural landmark that has stood for over two centuries—this monumental work revives the grandeur of the bamboo opera stage, once a central feature in temple festivals and communal gatherings.

Reinterpreting Traditional Craft

Artist and designer Cheng Tsung FENG is renowned for preserving and reinterpreting traditional crafts through contemporary installations. With Theatre, he draws inspiration from Taiwan’s rich bamboo architecture heritage, meticulously constructing a stage using thousands of bamboo poles. The result is a structure that honors the past while embracing modern aesthetics.

The installation’s design demonstrates careful craftsmanship: bamboo is interwoven both vertically and horizontally, forming a geometric grid that is simultaneously rigid and transparent. Slender split bamboo strips soften the structure’s edges, creating elegant arcs across the façade and stage platform. Visitors ascend bamboo stairways onto the expansive platform, immersing themselves in the tactile and spatial qualities of bamboo architecture. The experience engages the senses—sight, touch, and movement—encouraging audiences to rediscover the materiality and rhythm of traditional bamboo construction.

A Dynamic Cultural Space

By day, Theatre serves as an inviting public space for rest, play, and social gathering. By night, festival lighting transforms the structure into a ceremonial hall, echoing the vibrancy and grandeur of historical opera performances. The stage is not only a place for spectators but also a platform for participation. Passersby and festival attendees are invited to move between stage and audience, sometimes performing, sometimes observing—mirroring the cyclical nature of life itself.

Positioned on the temple’s expansive lawn, Theatre attracts locals and tourists alike, creating a living, communal space where cultural memory and contemporary design intersect. FENG’s installation is a celebration of Taiwan’s heritage, demonstrating how traditional crafts can be preserved, reimagined, and experienced in a modern context.

Architectural Highlights:

Material: Bamboo, showcasing traditional craft and natural tactility
Design: Vertical and horizontal interlacing, geometric grid, elegant arcs
Functionality: Daytime social space; nighttime ceremonial stage
Cultural Impact: Revives the traditional bamboo opera stage as a living community experience