This cinema in China takes the theatre experience to a new level

Can the cine experience be reinvented?

The X+Living team tackled this challenge with FAB Cinema in the Chinese city of Xi’an.

All the traditional characteristics and needs for such a space were contemplated and taken into account.

Wall coverings and ceilings are equipped with sound-absorbing devices. Customised carpets reduce noise, providing the ideal acoustic environment.

Meanwhile, comfortable seats ensure every person has the best viewpoint and sound quality. But that’s not all.

“The usually boring waiting area became an emotive space,” says Li Xiang, chief designer at X+Living.

For the team, cinema design is meant to awaken the public’s emotions and imagination, even before the movie begins.

To achieve this objective, X+Living created an avant-garde space, starting with the main hall, which features visual effects.

“The black and gold palette looks dramatic”, say the designers.

The box office and ticket sale areas are decked with fashionable props that mimic a movie set, treating everyone like movie stars.

A quirky billiard table with duck legs, oversize floor lamps fashioned after stage lights and director-style folding chairs are some of the many surprises in the space.

Every element contributes to connecting the audiences with the world of cinema.

The movie theatre offers four screening rooms, each with its own distinct style. The first is inspired by a European study with classic bookcases and black and red seats.

The second refers to a fun artist’s living room with pure colours and geometric patterns.

The third screening rom is characterised by elegant arches — typical of classic architecture — green ceiling and walls, and yellow seats.

Black-and-white strips on the floors and some of the seats lend a graphic touch to the space. With its bright neon and rich colours, the fourth screening room is a surrealist’s dream comes true.

With these new spaces at FAB Cinema in Xi’an, audiences don’t have to wait until they are inside a screening room to start the experience.

The show starts as soon as they step inside the world that X+Living has created.

Visit www.xl-muse.com to find more about X-Living.

This article was first published in Home & Decor.