A dilapidated open-air cinema near the main square in the southern Czech town of Prachatice has been revived. The architectural concept of the community space draws inspiration from the analogy of a projector loaded with film reels. Let’s see!
With the reconstruction, the Mimosa Architects team transformed the eight-hundred-seat outdoor cinema into a community space with a more sustainable capacity of three hundred and fifty seats. The reduction of the area in size made the development of the necessary buffer areas between the residential buildings and the cinema site possible. The old cinema buildings were demolished due to their condition, as was the screening wall that overshadowed the adjacent park. All the necessary facilities, such as the ticket office, cafeteria or projection booth and the warehouse, have been accommodated in the three newly built units.
The design of the structural elements is inspired by seasonal use and cinematic associations. For example, the roof structure of the open-air cinema, where the spools feed the roof’s tensioning cables instead of a strip of film, and the raised tarp, which gives the illusion of temporary use.
The materials used are dominated by corrugated sheet metal and black steel, visually linking the new cinema with the previously renovated Municipal Theatre of Prachatice. Stone is another key material used in the open-air cinema: the granite paving and the gabion retaining wall match the stonework used in the city center.
Although most of the auditorium is under the sky above the audience, it is also partially covered by a textile-based roof, along with the stage. This solution not only ensures the comfort of performers and audience but also has a positive impact on the acoustic properties of the cinema.
The revitalization of the open-air cinema and Štěpánka Park took its final form at the beginning of the year. Prachatice has thus been enriched with a completely new public space, not only for film screenings but also for other cultural events in the town.
Photos: BoysPlayNice
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