Platinum Interior Space and Exhibition Design · 2012
Wuhan Pixel Box Cinema Cinema
by Ajax Law
- A' Design Award 2012 Platinum Winner in Interior Space and Exhibition Design
- Awarded April 15, 2012
- CLIENT: Hubei Xiang Sheng & Insun Entertainment Co. Ltd.
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 711,917
- Verification code 510EC736A1 · Verify this award
About Wuhan Pixel Box Cinema Cinema
“Pixel” is the basic element of images, designer explores relationship of movement and pixel to become the theme of this design. “Pixel” is applied in different areas of the cinema. The box office grand hall houses a tremendous curved envelop formed by over 6000 pieces of stainless steel panels. The feature display wall is decorated with huge amount of square strips protruding from the wall is presenting the glamorous name of cinema. Inside this cinema, everyone would enjoy the great atmosphere of digital world generated by the cohesion of all “Pixel” elements.
This remarkable interior design by Ajax Law represents a significant achievement within contemporary commercial architecture, specifically within the specialized domain of entertainment venue design where the creation of memorable arrival experiences serves both functional and experiential purposes. The Wuhan Pixel Box Cinema atrium demonstrates sophisticated engagement with the phenomenology of immersive space, employing mirror-clad surfaces to dissolve conventional architectural boundaries and create an environment of apparent infinite extension. The designer appears to draw upon traditions of reflective architecture that span from Baroque mirror galleries through twentieth-century installations exploring perceptual phenomena, while translating these historical precedents into a thoroughly contemporary material vocabulary appropriate for digital-age entertainment venues. The technical accomplishment evident in the precise installation of thousands of individual mirror panels arranged across a curved substrate speaks to meticulous coordination between design intent and fabrication execution, with each panel positioned to contribute to the overall effect while maintaining the integrity of the underlying geometric system. The chromatic restraint, limiting the palette essentially to reflective neutrals and warm metallic accents, allows the spatial drama to emerge from form and light rather than applied color, demonstrating confident design decision-making that trusts the power of fundamental architectural elements. The elliptical ceiling aperture functions as a contemporary interpretation of the classical oculus, that ancient architectural device connecting interior space to celestial realms, here rendered in pristine white and studded with lights that suggest starfields or galaxies appropriate to a cinema's associations with projected light and transported imagination. Visitors entering this space likely experience a momentary dissolution of ordinary spatial perception, finding themselves apparently suspended within a crystalline void that prepares consciousness for the immersive cinematic experiences to follow.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Films are composing by images that are made up of tiny pixels in a continuous and moving manner. “Pixel” is square in shape, is the basic element of images. The designer of this movie center explores the relationship of movement and pixel to become the theme of this design. Thus, the audience could easily enjoy and immerse into the world of movies complementing the magical elements of pixels.
At the entrance, the concession counter and the leisure area are built up by boxes in different heights, serving as cashier counters, food display cabinet, serving counter, seats and tables. While satisfying the functional usage, these boxes like tables have LCD TV underneath the glass top showing trailers to draw people to the world of films and would be perceived as a warm-up of the theater extravaganza. Beyond these two areas, the feature display wall is decorated with tremendous amount of square strips protruding from the wall, presenting the glamorous brand name of the cinema, “PIXEL BOX”. These strips also formed the seating and tables, is another relaxing area for the customers. It suddenly reminds us all the digital elements around our living environment.
On the other hand, the bookshop area is another highlight, using the same theme, showing a class of magnificence. Designer cleverly makes use of every surface of the boxes to display books.
The box office grand hall houses a tremendous curved envelop formed by over 6000 pieces of stainless steel panels. This curved envelope rooted from an oval shape and built up and transformed into a round top. These thousands pieces of stainless steel panels are all in different shapes and sizes. The whole masterpiece justifies the exquisite quality and artistic reflection produced by the constructor. The reflection of lights enhances the infinite atmosphere and sense of space inside the area. Perhaps people would see the reflection of them in these mirror stainless steel panels and have fun in this world-of-images. In the centre of the hall, marble seats in various length performs not only a resting and waiting area, but also reminds us the memories of playing Tetris, which sounds familiar and interesting.
Whenever you see the vivid and playful atmosphere created by those cubes, you would enjoy another perception derived from the Children’s Auditorium with a sense of harmony. “Pixel” is still the axis of the design inside, covered by carpet in square pattern enriched with olive green and grey colors. Chairs are gradually arranged with different levels of green. Thus the whole area is fulfilled with unlimited vitality.
The lavatory is simply different from the traditional cubical. Every toilet cubical is deliberately designed with distinctive height, facilitated by the reflective characteristics of mirror, users will immerse into the mysterious maze, attracted by this humorous space.
Inside this cinema, everyone would enjoy the great atmosphere of digital world generated by the cohesion of all “Pixel” elements. - Dimensions & Packaging
- 8835 sq. meters
- Production Technology
- Carpet, Frabic, Mirror, Glass, Marble, LED, Corian stone, Vinyl floor, Plaint, Spray Plaint, Stainless Steel, Plastic laminate, Timber
- Design Challenge
- Using “Pixel”, “Cube”, “Square” as the theme became the trend couples years ago and many people took these as the theme of their projects. Therefore, it was absolutely a challenge to designers to avoid designing a cliché out from these themes. Designers explored new ideas from the theme “Pixel” and developed into several eye-catching designs applied to various areas in this large cinema. This cinema have several zones, designers have to give unique design to each zone in order to give the whole new experience to the audience.
The box office grand hall houses a tremendous curved envelop formed by over 6000 pieces of stainless steel panels. This curved envelope rooted from an oval shape and built up and transformed into a round top. As these thousands pieces of stainless steel panels are all in different shapes and sizes, designer has to monitor all the angles and shapes of them carefully, in order to ensure the reflection of lights enhances the infinite atmosphere.
Moreover, the feature display wall is decorated with huge amount of square strips protruding from the wall. These strips are different in length and size which affect the stereoscopy of wall and presentation of the brand name, “PIXEL BOX”. There are also similar concerns for the concession counter and leisure area of cinema, as they are built by boxes in different heights, not only satisfied the physical functions, also accuracy of the material building and the harmony of atmosphere and impression. - Project Duration
- The project is completed in Nov 2011, and located in Wuhan, China.
- Research
- There is an enormous curved envelop which is formed by over 6000 pieces of stainless steel panels, located in the box office grand hall. Designer has to consider and be well- planning on the material and structure of the curved envelop, since the stability of ceiling and the whole structure are affected by heft of material. Designer did research and experiments on different materials such as glass, stone, stainless steel, in order to ensure the structure is supported and safe.
- Inspiration
- The design is inspiraed by the relationship of movement and pixel, a basic element of image.