Latvian practice Mailitis Architects have designed an amphitheatre with a unique wind tunnel for a band of levitating monks.

The Shaolin Flying Monks Theatre has been built on Songshan Mountain in central China – a Unesco World Heritage that is home to the Shaolin Monastery, traditionally considered to be the birthplace of Zen Buddhism and Kung-Fu martial arts.

The monks who live on the mountain develop skills in many scenic arts, all of which will be demonstrated in their new 230-capacity arena. The most dramatic performances will come when the monks take flight; the vertical wind tunnel blasting them into the sky.

The theatre’s design was inspired by the shape of two symbols – a mountain and a tree.

“The architectural image pays respect to the beauty of surrounding nature and the historical heritage of the site,” said Mailitis Architects in a statement. “The building method combines modern and ancient technologies. A laser-cut steel superstructure supports stone steps handcrafted using local quarry resources.”

The building has four basic functional zones: the stage, the three-storey interior area, the wind tunnel’s engine room and the mountain-like exterior surface, which has the stone stairway built into its side.

This sweeps up the building and around the auditorium and the tree-like wind tunnel, gradually transforming into the seating area.

Summarising the project, the architects said: “The temple is an attempt to build a landmark by creating a mutual respect between history and future, nature and scientific development, and Eastern and Western philosophies.”