Meteor Cinema

Meteor Cinema is designed by One Plus Partnership Limited. One Plus is an award-winning Hong Kong-based design firm established in 2004 by directors Ajax Law and Virginia Lung. 

The project of Meteor Cinema is a 2-storey cinema located in a shopping mall in Guangzhou. Meteor is an astronomical observation where a bright trail of light appears in the night sky when a meteoroid enters the Earth’s atmosphere. This beautiful scene only appears in the sky for a very brief moment, and then vanishes without leaving any trace behind. Stunned when we walk into the lobby,  a large-scale meteor shower in front of us. In the lobby, long rectangular-cuboid decorations extend from the ceiling, mimicking the motion of a meteor shower streaking through the sky.

One Plus described: To enhance the three-dimensional vibrant atmosphere, the rectangular cuboids point in two directions. The designers had to adjust both on the computer and on set to make sure every piece is displayed at the right angle for the best overall effect.

To adopt an earth color scheme for design. Instead of using wood, which would inflict fire regulations, used aluminum in creating the decorations. These aluminum plates are coated with wood patterns and two different shades of brown to create a wood-like effect. The edges of the cuboids are slightly slanted; the meteor looks as if they are falling very quickly on this sharper edge, creating a dramatic contrast between the fast movement of the meteor and the fact that it’s frozen and motionless in real life. Apart from the meteor shower in the ceiling, other features in the cinema, such as the signage and tiles on the wall, are also slightly slanted to match with the massive ceiling decoration.

When going up on the second floor by the escalator, you can enjoy the best view of the whole meteor shower. It is an interesting experience to get closer and closer to the ceiling feature as if you are heading into the meteor shower. Walking through the corridor to reach the theater, you’ll find yourself walking in another form of meteor shower. The “meteor shower” transforms itself into flat rectangular shapes made out of stone, which look as if they are growing from the ground. The designers used this new object shape to illustrate another possible configuration of the meteor shower in a dynamic fashion.

The concept of meteor shower continues through the auditorium. In each of the auditorium, the designers have created a different portrayal of meteor shower, enabling the audience to have a new experience when they watch the movie in different auditoriums.

Through the design of the Meteor Cinema, the designers have created a sanctuary for the audience to get away from reality; from the moment they step into the cinema, they are in a completely different space. The cinema acts as a prelude to their experience with the movie, to prepare the audience for immersing themselves entirely in the movie world.

OnePlus mentioned: Rectangular decorations are installed on the wall to imitate shooting stars radiating in the night sky. In another auditorium, instead of going in a diagonal direction, the trails of the meteor shower are horizontal. There is another auditorium where regular seats are replaced by beds, enabling the audience to lie down comfortably and enjoy the meteor shower before the movie starts.

For more information, please visit: www.onepluspartnership.com