Portugal’s Centipede Cinema Is Standing Room Only

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Portugal’s Centipede Cinema Is Standing Room Only

October 23, 2012

Ever wanted to sneak away and pop into a movie theatre in the middle of the day? Well, now you can at the Centipede Cinema in Guimaraes, Portugal, an UNESCO Heritage site that has emerged as a center for art and design. This awesome installation, built in honor of the city’s designation as the 2012 European Capital of Culture, consists of 16 tubes that funnel into an enclosed screening room. Film fans need only to stick their heads into one of the yellow tubes to get swept up in a cinematic adventure. A collaboration between Barlett School of Architecture professor Colin Fournier, artist Marysia Lewandowska, and London firm NEON, this one-of-a-kind movie experience is only open for a week, so you better hurry! Read more.

The structure, which resembles a colorful shape ship, is mainly made of cork, which covers the inside and outside walls. Since Portugal is the world’s largest producer of cork, the team wanted to prove it had many uses and was sound enough for architecture. Extra-dark cork lines the inside of the tubes, enhancing the cinematic experience.

The theater will show an hour-long film made up of 20 three-minute trailers selected by local workers.