Odeon Cinema, Elephant and Castle
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Main facade view
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Cinema with a 1000-seat auditorium built with a bold free-standing screen and a single central entrance
The design expresses on the exterior the enclosed elements (auditorium, plant room and projection room) with the entrance foyer, designed as an extension of the pavement. Its glass walls with mullion free corners, emphasise the sloping soffit of the auditorium cantilevered toward the pavement.
The volume above the first floor level represents the service tower (in aluminium) with plant room, projection room (in ceramic tile) and the three main structural beams (in fair-faced concrete).
The auditorium is fan-shaped with access through the central alley and four side exits. Seating is set out with four aisles and one crossover. The screen is cantilevered from the rear wall, in front of it the auditorium is raised to form the ventilation chamber. The ceiling is stepped to allow linear ventilation grilles.
Sound insulation was achieved by means of a 30 cm solid concrete shell and inner walls were decorated with glass fibre vertical fins with intermediate panels of carpet. All structure, including external walls, is fairface, bush hammered or hacked concrete.
Data
- Begun: Jun 1964
- Completed: Dec 1966
- Floor area: 1,755m2
- Sector: Arts and culture
- Total cost: £180,000
- Tender date: May 1964
- Procurement: RIBA fixed price with quantities
- Address: New Kent Road, Elephant and Castle, London, SE1 6TJ, United Kingdom
Professional Team 
- Architect: Erno Goldfinger
- Client: ODEON Cinemas
- Associate Architect: N. Molis
- Quantity surveyor: Davis, Belfield & Everest
- Structural engineer: Ove Arup & Partners
- Mechanical and Electrical Engineer: J. Roger Preston & Partners
- Main contractor: Tersons Ltd