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Dec 30, 2008
Although the tradition over the past four years has been to begin Film Journal International’s annual survey of new cinema construction somewhere in North America, our Fifth Annual Edition will be hitting the global stage first. Setting aside all the excitement generated during this past CineAsia by news from APEX Cinemas for China and Reliance Big in India, among several others, this industry observer decided there was an even hotter hot spot for cinema building and design. As our headline indicates, this overview will introduce a select variety of projects from Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. (For more details about the market, see the Kino Expo reporting in our September 2008 issue.)
Throughout the past year, Kronverk Cinema, the local arm of transcontinental Eurasia Cinemas B.V. (FJI July 2008), opened four new cinemas with 33 screens in Russia and Ukraine. “Each cinema has something special about it,” promises Roman Linin, Kronverk Cinemas’ chief executive officer, setting the tone of excitement and enthusiasm coming from that part of the world.
Beginning with the most recent, the December launch of Kronverk Dafi was the first multiplex (seven screens, 1,522 seats) for the city of Kharkov, Ukraine’s second-largest city with no less than 80 colleges and universities, and the very first time a Russian circuit ventured outside the home base. “It will attract a lot of attention,” Linin predicts, “and we wanted this first move to be really successful. We implemented all of our best practices and experience into this location to make sure that our moviegoers not only get the top-notch experience while watching their films but would also appreciate the design, color selection, lights and navigation.”
The full bar areas, including alcoholic and café offerings, along with extended foyer seating and two concession counters, are intended to invite guests “to spend a night out with friends and/or family,” Linin explains. “The dedicated kids’ area with toys and games and special décor is another first in Ukraine, as well as the disabled-friendly design of our cinema.”
Coming up on its first anniversary in Orekhovo-Borisovo, “a remote but densely populated suburban part of Moscow,” Kronverk Cinema Oblaka (seven screens, 1,270 seats, opened in February 2008) features the same dual concession stands and bar with café arrangement in a large foyer with plenty of seating. The complex also includes a mid-size arcade and one digital screen with 3D capabilities and satellite link for sporting and cultural events. Per Linin, the surrounding mall of 60,000 square meters (646,000 sq. ft.) “includes all the standard anchor tenants: food supermarket, electronics supermarket and a number of smaller boutiques. It picked up slowly, but after several months, the admissions are very impressive and the cinema is a strong top-five performer in our circuit now.” As for the reason, Linin ventures that “it successfully addressed the requirements of the suburban location, which was underserved in terms of entertainment destinations.”
Another suburban Moscow location, Kronverk WayPark, is an example of a cinema not properly addressing such requirements. “Initially, the almost two-year-old cinema had 16 screens and occupied 10,000 square meters [108,000 sq. ft.], which was considered excessive for this location,” Linin says. Kronverk purchased the site, along with their other two in Moscow, from Sezon-Cinema “in line with our expansion strategy, which includes not only organic growth but merger and acquisition deals as well.” Prior to re-opening in July with 11 screens and 1,283 seats on a reduced 4,000 square meters (43,000 sq. ft.), “we changed the layout of the location—optimized the number of screens and the foyer by changing the location of the box office and concession stands. The number of guests increased and we are positive that they appreciated the optimized navigation and cozy atmosphere of the cinema.”
In general, Linin assures that all Kronverk Cinemas, built or acquired, are designed and operated “in compliance with our value proposition: cinemas close to the customers geographically and emotionally.” He says that means “to cover remote, densely populated suburban areas of cities, which fit the [company’s] strategic profile” and “to provide the stylish interior and the cozy atmosphere to which the customer can relate emotionally.” To bring about “the desire to spend the night out in our cinemas, instead of just watching the movie,” Kronverk provides extended seating capacity in the foyers, with a bar and café offering a larger selection of desserts and beverages, including alcohol. Covering all detail from music playing to design, color and lighting, “in creating the foyer design and the atmosphere, we tend to address family-type customers as well as trendy, younger audiences.” In order “to ensure all of our ideas are best reflected in the design of the cinema,” Linin gives credit to the international design experts at Mesbur+Smith from Toronto.
In addition to Dafi, the Canadian firm also designed Kronverk Cinema Felichita on the top floor of a new shopping mall in a suburban area of St. Petersburg. (Oblaka’s design comes from Moscow-based Art Grafik.) Felichita’s eight screens (1,283 seats) opened in July 2008, just in time to take advantage of the summer sun streaming through the large atrium in the middle of the cinema. This “adds a beautiful view in the evening and nighttime, and provides a lot of light and space to the foyer during the day,” Linin enthuses. “Felichita is one of the most beautiful locations in our circuit in terms of design.” The two-level lounge areas with free WiFi, the café and its alcohol bar with separate smoking zone provide the all-important “night out” atmosphere. The head of Kronverk Cinemas concludes, “Although opened quite recently, it gets more and more popular amongst the guests.”
Mesbur+Smith Architects will also be working for DVI Cinemas, a recently formed subsidiary of shopping center developer DVI Group that is headed by two former executives from Kinomax, Russia’s number-two circuit. The first of seven to be completed opened “to great acclaim” in Pyenza during the fall, with additional sites planned for Krasnodar, Saratov, Izhevsk, Yekaterinburg, Electrostal’ and Volgograd.
As detailed by the firm’s design partner, David Mesbur, the Pyenza five-screener (ranging from 122 to 158 for a total of just over 700 seats) is located on the fourth floor of the Suvorovskii Shopping Centre, accessible by elevator and “grand staircase” from the third level. Made to fit on 1,574 square meters (17,000 sq. ft.), “all of the interior details were kept as simple as possible, but with maximum impact, in response to a very tight budget.” This was elegantly accomplished by decorating the two-story lobby in navy and pastel blue, with orange accents further highlighted by neon of the same color. “While small in area,” Mesbur says, they were nonetheless able to include “a generous concession area which wraps around to form a café and alcohol bar. Café tables and comfortable lounge seating enhance the ambience for patrons. As in all of our Russian projects, a coat-check facility is provided, as well as a small games area.”
Just as DVI and Kronverk count on international cinema design expertise—all the while using local construction management, such as Kronverk’s own team and Lithuania-based MEX Muzkos Ekspresas for cinema equipment—KinoStar thinks globally and acts locally as well. Rising Star Media, the joint-venture partnership of Moscow-based Paul Heth and National Amusements’ Shari Redstone, has employed both the construction expertise of Moscow’s Kinoexpert and the design talents of Munich, Germany-based architects Atelier Achatz. The latter devised all three of the circuit’s 2008 locations. And with a decidedly international flair, one might add, for what became the first two “themed” KinoStars.
March 20, 2008 marked the opening of KinoStar de lux New York at Shoppingcenter Mega 3 Belaya Dacha in the greater environs of Moscow with 4,000 seats for 15 screens, including one IMAX and one “First Class” auditorium. On Dec. 16 at Moscow’s Metropolis Mall, a dozen screens followed (2,600 seats, with one “First Class” hall and adjacent lounge) with a 250-square-meter game area (2,690 sq. ft.) and 85-seat Coca-Cola Red Lounge. At both locations, which architect Walter Achatz calls “Themenkinos,” a 360-degree vista highlights 40 x 8 meters of picturesque Times Square (131 x 26 feet) and 60 x 6 meters of sun-drenched Miami (197 x 20 feet). The hallways leading to the auditoria feature oversized photos of Fifth and Madison Avenues and Ocean Drive and Miami Beach, respectively.
KinoStar New York extends the theme into auditoria decorated with the city’s skyscrapers and to a 65-seat American Bar & Grill. As KinoStar’s Paul Heth previously explained to FJI, those cities hold the most appeal to Russian moviegoers, beating out European destinations like Paris. In St. Petersburg, like elsewhere in Russia, the Mega Shoppingcenter concept (as headed by IKEA) has had an appeal of its very own. The US$11.5 million KinoStar de lux Dybenko launched on Oct. 6 with the obligatory Coca-Cola Red Lounge and game area leading to ten screens and 2,450 seats.
Opening on Dec. 30, phase one of the latest in cinematic and coffee and beer bar luxury in Kazakhstan just made it into the first part of our “Class of 2008.” Walter Achatz confirms that KinoPark 5 in Almaty has been duly readied for its expansion to nine auditoria and 1,450 seats, followed by another four in the future that will also bring rebuilt bowling and restaurant facilities. Looking ahead, by the time this magazine has been published, KinoPark 7 should be about ready at Kuruen shopping center in Astana with 1,750 seats, a sushi restaurant and game area/Internet café. Three exceptions aside—KinoStar de lux New Mega 4 Mithishi, Moscow (20 screens, 5,000 seats) and two more KinoParks for Kazakhstan (for a combined 18 screens and 3,300 seats)—“all additional projects have been stopped or postponed due to the current economic situation,” Achatz notes. Let’s all hope that this will not be in the least bit indicative of the “Class of 2009.”
As with subsequent entries in this series, we can only feature a selection and personal choice of what the author believes to be representative of the exciting and exceptional work accomplished around the world. Obviously, the best way to be considered for inclusion is to send in information about what your company is doing.
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