Taikoo Li Qiantan MOViE MOViE Cinema and Kubrick Book Store

Shanghai, China
nightview of the main entrance
Photo © Yui Zhang
self-service ticket kiosks and concession embedded into the organic lobby
Photo © Yui Zhang
the concession functions as both a snack shop and a coffee bar
Photo © Yui Zhang
stacking contours at the entrance atrium echo the layered architectural facade
Photo © Yui Zhang
the "canyon" contours protrude and recede to create greenery nooks
Photo © Yui Zhang
the elevator lobby is envisioned as man’s intervention in nature
Photo © Yui Zhang
the elevator lobby wall composed of various textured metal panels
Photo © Yui Zhang
a close-up of the panel and rivet details
Photo © Yui Zhang
the double-height stepped terrace as a diversified passage way
Photo © Yui Zhang
a space opens to different kinds of functions
Photo © Yui Zhang
bookshelves and seatings create semi-private reading platforms
Photo © Yui Zhang
visitors can read or hangout at a quiet nook before or after movie
Photo © Yui Zhang
a soft space made of curves
Photo © Yui Zhang
the down-scaled “canyon” extends to the hallway
Photo © Yui Zhang
the compact "canyon" is more dramatic and mysterious
Photo © Yui Zhang
a vintage industrial style sign made from sheet metal
Photo © Yui Zhang
panoramic view of the IMAX hall
Photo © Yui Zhang
triangulated formations simulate the multi-faceted crystal cave
Photo © Yui Zhang
the sinuous hallway leads to a lounge area
Photo © Yui Zhang
curves and textures enrich the public hallway
Photo © Yui Zhang
Photo © Yui Zhang
the curved mirror wall creates an interesting effect
Photo © Yui Zhang
the washroom textures instill an outdoor atmosphere
Photo © Yui Zhang
the staggered cubicle design
Photo © Yui Zhang
2F plan
Drawing © LUKSTUDIO
3F plan
Drawing © LUKSTUDIO
4F plan
Drawing © LUKSTUDIO
stepped terrace section
Drawing © LUKSTUDIO
Architects
LUKSTUDIO
Location
S-L3-13, Stone Zone, Taikoo Li Qiantan, Pudong New Area, 200126 Shanghai, China
Year
2021
Client
Broadway Cinemas
Team
Christina Luk, Dong Wu, Munyee Ng, Edoardo Nieri, Yoko You, Yiren Ding, Weifeng Yu, Kate Deng, Rebecca Tan, Haibin Chao, Jenny Wang, Vivi Du
General Contractor
Jiaye Interior Design & Decoration Co., Ltd
Drawing Development
Luli Design
Photography
Yui Zhang

Nowadays, everyone watches movies online, how could physical cinemas stay relevant and attractive for the cinephiles?

That was the design challenge for our first cinema project for MOViE MOViE at the Taikoo Li Qiantan, a mixed-use development recently completed in Shanghai. We started off asking what is the cinema experience? It is a moment of escape, an internal journey, or an expedition to another world. To complement these adventures, we set out to create a physical platform recalling memories of encountering natural wonders and travelling off the beaten path.

The cinema is located in Taikoo Li Qiantan, a retail complex at the heart of the Pudong New Area. With a focus on wellness and sustainability, the mall is an open-plan and lane-driven architecture reminiscent of an organic valley, offering shoppers a diverse mix of culture and commerce. Bringing a continuity between architecture and interiors, Lukstudio extends the layered stone facade into the multi-level cinema as stacking contours and creates a manufactured “canyon”.

The main lobby on 3rd floor is designed as a social spot for cinephiles to hangout before or after the show. Shaped by sinuous walls and a glossy floor mimicking water, the “canyon” naturally directs circulation flow along the curvy facade.

Concession, self-service ticket kiosks and elevator lobby are envisioned as man’s intervention in nature, and they take on a contrasting industrial look with metal panels and rivet details.

The undulating “water” floor leads to a double-height hall lined with floor-to-ceiling glazing. Here, at the northwest corner, our manufactured landscape takes on a terrace form. The organic platforms not only create a diversified passage way between two floors, they also integrate a bookstore dedicated to cinematography and movie culture branded The Kubrick.

Accommodating both casual hangout and big social events, the design adds new possibilities to the conventional cinema experience, welcoming shoppers to pause and relax, movie-goers to discover about their favourite genres, or movie-makers to share their insights after a première.

The "canyon" continues along the passage to the cinema halls on 2nd and 4th floors. The stacking planes are down-scaled according to the single-storey space, yet the effect is more dramatic and mysterious, cultivating a sense of exploration in the spectators before their cinematic excursion.

The washroom concept is inspired by the nomadic living. Light structure, curved form and outdoor textures where adopted to conjure an organic atmosphere. A multi-faceted mirror wall captures a psychedelic moment, perhaps unexpectedly transports the “travelers” to a special elsewhere.

The theatres are envisioned as crystal caves where triangulated formations create an immersive environment. Black, grey and navy acoustic panels compose the final “caves” of different sizes and heighten the cinematic experience.

The MOViE MOViE and Kubrick Project challenges the status quo of a conventional cinema and creates a destination of a cinematic world. Going to the cinema is no longer only about watching a movie, but a social and cultural discovery in our physical world. Taking inspiration from nature, Lukstudio aims to create a backdrop for urbanites to rekindle their adventurous spirits.

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