Freestanding pop-up cinema offers films in limited space

Designed by Bartlett School of Architecture professor Colin Fournier, Centipede Cinema is a compact freestanding theater that can entertain up to 16 people at a time.

It seems cinema-goers are always keen to experience films in a new way, which may explain the success of ideas such as the UK’s recent rooftop Hot Tub Cinema. Also a British innovation, the Centipede Cinema is a compact freestanding theater designed for screenings in locations with limited space. The brainchild of Bartlett School of Architecture professor Colin Fournier, the cinema was created as part of celebrations in Guimarães, Portugal, which is the European Capital of Culture for 2012. In order to demonstrate how cultural activities can be set up with minimal infrastructure, the team behind the cinema created a space that could be located in any public area, and where passersby could enter and leave as they please. The pod uses locally-sourced dark cork to create the blacked out effect of a traditional theater and visitors duck underneath through one of the 16 holes in the bottom. The cinema gets its name from the way the construction looks when in use. Since launching in Guimarães on 20 October, the cinema has screened three 20-minute films chosen by workers from the city on a loop. The Centipede Cinema is an example of how few resources are needed to create a unique space for entertainment. Although the project obviously benefits from funding and planning permission, there is plenty of inspiration here for startups. Spotted by: Murray Orange