Parallect Design

Unter dem Zauber des Dionysischen schließt sich nicht nur der Bund zwischen Mensch und Mensch wieder zusammen: auch die entfremdete, feindliche oder unterjochte Natur feiert wieder ihr Versöhnungsfest mit ihrem verlorenen Sohne, dem Menschen.fühlt sich jeder mit seinem Nächsten nicht nur vereinigt, versöhnt, verschmolzen, sondern eins.
——Nietzsche

Spatial Narrative
From the dawn of human history to the development of modern society, spiritual and cultural activities have consistently evolved alongside civilizations. Spanning from song-dance rituals and competitive games to literature and poetry, then progressing to contemporary film, video games, and the streaming media era, the advancement of society has witnessed increasingly diversified human roles and identities. Traditional forms have gradually become inadequate in satisfying people's complex emotional needs. It is within this context that WEIIN DRAMA emerges - using traditional theatrical entertainment as its foundation while innovatively integrating social interaction, light dining, bars, meditation, and salons to create a spatial experiment where cultural elements interweave with consumer experiences.
The ancient Greeks viewed wine as a bridge between the physical and spiritual realms – an elixir that satisfied material needs while offering temporary liberation from life's toils. According to Aristotle's records, Greeks annually honored Dionysus, the god of wine, grape harvest, and winemaking, through ecstatic drinking, impassioned singing, ritual dances, and symbolic ceremonies. It was within these Dionysian rituals that theater itself was born, emerging organically from the choral performances and ecstatic celebrations dedicated to the wine deity.
The project is located in the Qiantan 31 Lehui Commercial District, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, with a total indoor area of 880 square meters. It integrates multiple composite functions including a bar, casual dining options, a drama club, a theater, and other versatile spaces. In WEIIN DRAMA, theater and bar converge through a synergistic interplay of performance and libation. The stage and the bar counter dissolve their conventional divide—no longer linear, isolated spaces but a choreographed ecosystem where non-linear circulation paths, lighting interventions, and architectural gestures operate as spatial "stage directions." Much like theatrical dramaturgy manipulates acts, scenery, and lighting to orchestrate plot shifts and character metamorphoses, this design philosophy imbues the space with narrative cadence—transforming it into a cyclical story loop that reconfigures fragmented roles, events, and scenes. Here, audiences and performers co-author narratives within a permeable fourth wall, their identities fluidly oscillating between observers and protagonists amidst the intoxicating alchemy of drama and Dionysian revelry.
Beyond its theatrical and bar identities, WEIIN DRAMA integrates light dining and theater workshop studios, creating a multifunctional cultural hub. The theater, bar, and studios are interwoven in both space and time, forming a dynamic ecosystem where learning, experiencing, performing, film-watching, dining, and casual drinking are arranged in layers radiating inward from the main interface. Fluid pathways seamlessly connect these three zones, allowing individuals with diverse intentions to move freely through the space. This design fosters organic interactions and dialogues among participants, transforming the venue into a living, breathing narrative where boundaries between roles blur and creativity flows naturally.

Immersive Experience
Entrance：Into the virtual reality
Before the curtain rises, the entrance drapes part, inviting the audience to step into the bar for a leisurely prelude of cocktails and conversation. Meanwhile, actors immerse themselves in creative rehearsals within the studio, and the theater buzzes with the final touches of technical adjustments and stage preparations. As the "curtain call" is subtly signaled by the lowering of a dramatic drape, an installation art piece guides the audience through an arched tunnel into the main space. They navigate a slender, dimly lit passageway, where soft lighting, translucent fabrics, and textured surfaces gradually dissolve their awareness of the external shopping mall. Step by step, the transition strips away the mundane, drawing them deeper into a curvilinear "cave" where light and shadow intertwine, crafting an immersive cocoon that severs ties with reality and primes them for the theatrical journey ahead.
Stage and Audience: The Integration of Spectators into the Drama
Flowing curves traverse the entire space, evoking an ethereal, dreamlike quality while simultaneously blurring the boundaries of the physical environment. This design ultimately dismantles the "fourth wall" of traditional theater: the amorphous stage and seating area intertwine, coexisting within a unified field. Immersive projection screens extend in all directions, creating an illusion of infinite expansion. Here, the audience is no longer a passive observer of the performance; instead, they are woven into the narrative through the choreography of space and plot. Together with the actors, they become co-authors of a living, breathing story, actively participating in its unfolding.

Installation
The inaugural production, adapted from a work by Keigo Higashino, delves into the multiplicity and authenticity of identity through the symbolic use of masks. As the audience transitions from curiosity to immersion, they are enveloped in a kaleidoscopic narrative brought to life by cutting-edge virtual scenography and three-dimensional projections. The story unfolds in a fluid, dreamlike space where reality and illusion intertwine, challenging perceptions of self and other.
Masks, originally symbols of divinity in ancient rituals, allowed priests to transform into deities by donning them. In theater, actors use masks to embody shifts in character psychology, emotion, and identity, guiding the audience into the dramatic narrative. The mask, as a vessel for metamorphosis, carries an implicit commentary on role transformation—a metaphor for the modern individual's struggle with the constraints of societal labels. Through this interplay of concealment and revelation, masks become a bridge between the sacred and the performative, inviting both actors and spectators to explore the fluidity of identity.
The installation design integrates the facial features of multiple statues, employing geometric forms and surrealist aesthetics to evoke a theatrical atmosphere. This artistic approach not only heightens the dramatic tension but also probes the complexity of roles in modern society—symbolizing the multifaceted identities that individuals embody within a single physical form. Through this fusion of art and metaphor, the installation becomes a visual exploration of how one person can simultaneously inhabit diverse social roles, each demanding a unique mask or persona.
The installation is composed of multiple masks of varying forms: from the front, a horizontally arrayed mask reveals, behind it, another face imbued with a sculptural quality, symbolizing the unknown and the infinite. The side profiles, however, adhere to a clear geometric logic, evoking the classical elegance of Greek art. This interplay of complexity and simplicity, mystery and order, creates a visual dialogue that transcends time and culture, inviting viewers to contemplate the duality of human identity—its tangible expressions and its hidden depths.