UFA Cinema Centre

St. Petersburger Straße 24a, 01069 Dresden, Germany

Coop Himmelb(l)au (1993-98)

When I first saw the drawings for this project published I thought it was a building for a film institute, but when I visited I found it was a commercial cinema complex. Now if all cinema complexes were like this…

Coop Himmelblau regularly explore ideas of inserting public space into private projects and that is what has been done here – the cinemas are in the concrete block side and the public circulation spaces are within the glazed crystal element. The stairs and platforms and open spaces allow and promote gathering, and the glazing opens these spaces to the outside, extending views out and allowing views in. There is also a lot of potential for alternate, complementary additional uses.

It’s a cinema – and it’s all about the viewing.

 

Further Information:

Place: UFA ‘Kristallpalast’ Cinema Centre

Architect: Coop Himmelb(l)au

Photographer: Stephen Varady (scans from slides)

Map: UFA ‘Kristallpalast’ Cinema Centre Map

 

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