(Photo: CGTN)

Qingdao, the bustling port city in east China’s Shandong Province, basked in a sizzling global moment as the 18th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit was held. The event venue, sitting alone its coastline, made an impression on the world as the state-of-the-art site welcomes its biggest international event.

The 18th SCO Summit venue occupied about 50,000 square meters located at the Qingdao International Sailing Center. The venue was revamped from a former shopping mall. It took shape under just six months with an estimated construction period said to last at least 24 months.

In the interior, the venue mirrors Shandong’s unique regional history and manifests the Chinese cultural heritage and philosophies divided into four themes: courtesy, virtue, wisdom, and trust. The interior of the venue was done by Beijing BIAD Decoration Engineering Co., Ltd.

Courtesy

The reception hall welcomed its SCO guests into the room with a top gesture of respect and courtesy, as the interior design features 81 ceiling lamps inspired by the number of gold-buttoned doornails on the wooden door of the Forbidden City in Beijing. 

Facing the front of the room hangs a massive scrolled painting detailing the scene of a sunrise on Mount Taishan, a mountain of great historical and cultural significance of Shandong Province, symbolizing a sense of openness and growing prosperity.

Virtue

The main meeting room, “Mount Taishan Hall,” was designed based on the Confucianism understanding of virtue, a moral aspect, and characteristic which Confucius took it to his mission to promote. As Confucius states “the quality of jade corresponds to a gentleman's virtue,” the interior is decorated by soothing lights with a color resembling white jade, sending a message of goodwill for peaceful and mutual development. 

Wisdom

The vice meeting room, “Yellow River Hall,” was based on the idea of wisdom. The decoration is inspired by the shape of the Chinese pavilion as the room’s ceiling takes the classic wave lines and coroners pointing to eight different directions from the Chinese pavilion to demonstrate a sense of fluidity and creativity.

Trust

The banquet room, “SCO Hall,” is a play on the notion of trust as it was used for various signing ceremonies and dinner parties. Covered mostly by crystal lights, it hopes to present a message for heart to heart exchange and mutual respect and trust.