Projecting resistance: A study on the architectural practice strategies of Kunming's Nanping Theater in 1939

Architectural practice in Yunnan during the Second Sino-Japanese War exhibits characteristics of diversity, openness, and pragmatic rationality, fundamentally representing a creative breakthrough amid multiple liminal states. This study examines the Kunming Nanping Theater during wartime through the lens of construction technology. By integrating fieldwork, historical archival research, and oral history interviews with structural analyses, the study reconstructs the decision-making chain and implementation pathway of the theater's design and construction. It explores the modern architectural practice in Yunnan under unique historical conditions. The research aims to investigate the intrinsic mechanisms of localized transformation in contemporary architectural design and construction during exceptional periods, revealing the driving forces and operational logic behind architectural creation during the war. By expanding the perspective of construction technology in the history of modern Chinese architecture, this study further discusses the historical lessons and theoretical insights it offers for global wartime architectural practice and contemporary architectural practice.