It is every child’s wonderland and every parent’s perfect movie date venue. It is ultimately, a space and experience that you can enjoy as a family. The first theatre of its kind in Asia, Cinemaxx Junior is a distinct departure from your traditional movie-going experience. Its concept of fully integrating play elements into the movie experience is at once innovative and intriguing. Here, at Cinemaxx Junior, children are not constrained to assigned seats and parents are free from the worry that their children will be a disturbance to other patrons of the cinema.

Designing Cinemaxx Junior, our team was challenged to delve deeper into consumer behaviour in relation to space, design and social context; and in the process, we broke down social boundaries to deliver a blended experience of visual and physical entertainment that simultaneously and effectively caters to the social needs of children and their families. Through this project, we have also gained new ground in the typology.

Conceptualised for the family

Cinemaxx Junior responds to a contemporary social issue in today’s urban environment. Many families today are dual-income, which turns parent-child bonding time into a precious commodity. The custom-designed space goes beyond its individual components, seamlessly integrating two separate recreational functions – a child-friendly movie theatre and a playground – into a single enriched and holistic experience for children between the ages of three and ten.

Designing for Junior

Children learn through play. As such, the designers thoughtfully created child-friendly settings within the theatre to encourage repeat visits. With a deliberate inclusion of early childhood development considerations, the design team considered a child’s physical, intellectual, emotional and social needs to construct a deliberate design of a series of simple to complex micro-environments for independent and imaginative play.

This was achieved through several design strategies. They are namely the non-linear circulation design; fantastical and informal interiors that appeal to the senses; bespoke family-friendly furniture and fittings; child-friendly washrooms; and sensitive lighting, sound and safety designs suitable for children.