Credits
From MARIUSZ KUŻNIAK
Cinema CAGE … in the grass
The contemporary garden is not only a place for growing plants, but also a mini-park of relaxation and entertainment, especially for its youngest users. Architect Mariusz Kuźniak, the owner of the DesignOff studio at www.designoff.com.pl, has created something more universal, a place that can also be used by adults. The garden cinema fits perfectly into the natural surroundings, enriching it with a new function.
The beginnings of open air cinemas
Open-air cinemas have been around for about 100 years. Of course, in the beginning they were car theaters, especially popular in the United States. However, the Theatre de Guadalupe, opened in 1915 in New Mexico, can be considered the first such facility. In 1921, in Texas, Claude V. Caver opened the first car theater in the USA.
New technologies, based on LED screens and enabling good sound, have moved viewers from inside cars to deckchairs and chairs. For several years, open-air cinemas have been very popular in cities. They are set up in parks and squares, offering the opportunity to watch world hits surrounded by nature.
Cinema in the grass
The idea of the owner of the garden, however, was not only about hanging the screen and turning on the projector - he took on the task of creating a very specific space that would fully reflect the atmosphere of a real cinema. The architect called his installation a cage for a reason. He used two meanings of the word - on the one hand, it obviously leads our thoughts towards the film frame, on the other hand, the cinema structure itself, built on the basis of a frame made of pipes, resembles a cage. However, it is not closed - on the one hand, the view of the greenery is allowed by a strip of transparent foil, on the other - an open plan through which you can admire the plants growing in the garden.
Industrial character
The building also has a strong industrial appearance, characteristic of the DesignOff Mariusz Kuźniak studio. The structure is based on a tube-joint scaffolding. The architect used steel pipes with a diameter of 33.7 mm and exposed connections in the form of fixed cross joints for Warsaw scaffolding. The substrate is also industrial in nature. It consists of black plastic openwork pallets with dimensions of 110 cm / 110 cm. Both the floor and side walls are also covered with black tubular plates, while the roof is made of cellular polycarbonate. To break the dominant blackness, the architect used expressive orange-colored chairs. The garden and industrial character of the cinema is also emphasized by the lighting line, which is marked out by traditional-style light bulbs.
The most important attribute of the Cage Cinema, however, is that it is an integral part of the garden, which changes seasonally according to the laws of nature. Sometimes you can reach for the fruit of currants, a moment later Hungarian trees ripen overhead. A short distance away, just beyond the fence is a huge cornfield. Thus, popcorn, just like in a real cinema, is just at your fingertips.