A translucent concertinaed shell conceals the gridded concrete interior of this theatre designed by architects Smiljan Radić, Eduardo Castillo and Gabriela Medrano for the city of Concepción, Chile.
ECLLC designed the skin of semi-transparent polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) that is laid over a regimented concrete framework to create this duality.
The covering is applied in bands corresponding with the building’s six stories, with each level tilted in opposing direction to the next to create a concertinaed effect. Light shining through the facade at night lends the form the appearance of a paper lantern on the water’s edge.
