Intelligent lighting at Cineplex Münster debuts to rave reviews

The reviews have been exceptional.

"First-class Lighting Design" (Münstersche News, November 15, 2000).

"The play with lights begins the moment you enter the foyer" (Westfälische Newspaper, September 7, 2000).

Cineplex Münster in Germany, a new motion picture multiplex theater located in the city’s port district, and the first multiplex cinema in Europe to be wired completely and permanently with DMX 512, is a success. And much of the thanks can go to the installation of architectural effect lighting.

The German city of Münster can now boast a remarkable new cinema house, a culturally rich venue as far as program variety and building aesthetics are concerned. Yet it isn´t only the interior architecture but the variable light architecture that proves the most captivating feature of the theater, turning the foyer into a luxurious lounge area. And thanks to the glass fronts of the building, the interior is already visible from some distance away.

As the visitor first enters the foyer, he finds himself immediately surrounded by constantly changing chambers of light, which not only have the effect of bringing the huge rear wall to life, but also plunge the entire entrance area into a pool of atmospheric light. Nine Martin MAC 250+, nine Martin MAC 300s, three Martin MAC 600s, as well as six Martin MAC 500s and one Jem Stagehazer all controlled by one Martin ProScenium DMX PC create the spectacular effect.

Internationally acclaimed designer Lutz Gock of NextVision led the concept-, design- and project-management team. The install and programming of the system was executed by NextMove - intelligent lighting. Programming support for the Martin ProScenium was provided by ID-Technik Germany.

As an integral part of the surrounding port district´s cultural landscape, the northern section of which has, appropriately enough, been given the name ´Kreativ-Kai´ (Creativity Quay), the light architecture makes direct reference to the changes which are taking place in and around the former industrial harbor and transport point for imported goods.

Visitors to the Cineplex will find such conspicuous constant features as a number of parallel structures between the sky and the earth, both in the interior and the exterior of the building. The shape of the acute angled triangular sails, which have been mounted underneath the ceiling and form projection surfaces for the light system, repeats in the form of the large-scale triangular ornaments on the floor of the hall.

For illumination of the outer contour, the Martin ProScenium DMX controls five DMX fiber optic projectors with 140 meters of fiber optic tube. A web-cam allows for control, maintenance and programming of the system.

An additional two MAC 2000s, as well as three MAC 500s will be installed as promotional projectors in phase II of the complete install. Additionally, all nine cinemas of the Cineplex Münster will be fitted with intelligent lighting in phase III and IV of the install.