The interior space maintains the traditional wide open lobby, making circulation throughout the structure easy even with larger crowds.

The theater is actually three different buildings that are connected via spiraling walkways with escalators in the corners of each building that allow for a circulation that exposes the user to shifting images of Manhattan’s skyline. The turns in the spiral shape of the structure create three large screens that play off solids and voids and incorporate both indoor and outdoor spaces making the most of the land parcel without completely covering the land with the building’s footprint. An outdoor amphitheater features seating located atop the roof of the lower indoor space, emphasizing maximum use of the floor area.

The most interesting feature Afsarmanesh Architects brought into their design is a huge screen reflecting the faces of people entering the site, paying tribute to Andy Warhol’s theory that “in the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.” This unique aspect allows for a 3-piece experience in the building, one that, of course, is dedicated to the cinema, the second to Manhattan, and the third to the user.

The renderings are stunning and while they definitely push the futuristic envelope, they seem to grasp the idea that cinema is about challenging convention and providing users with an escape from their normal daily lives.

+ Afsarmanesh Architects

Via Arch Daily