Cinesphere at Ontario Place
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CINESPHERE AT ONTARIO PLACE FOR RESIDENTS AND TOURISTS IN THE CITY OF TORONTO, Cinesphere was opened in 1971 as one of the world's most ONTARIO, CANADA, ONE OF THE MOST ENTERTAINING advanced theatres. It was built to "create a space capable of LOCATIONS IN TOWN IS ONTARIO PLACE. housing the existing and the future scope of film", Cinesphere stands as the first permanent IMAX® film theatre in the world. Date Opened: May 1971 Total Number of Seats: 752 Screen Size: 80ft wide x 60 ft high Contract Architecture (Canada) THE CINESPHERE Set on a 93-acre, lakefront park in the city’s downtown core, people of all ages can enjoy everything from a water slides to restaurants and 30 exciting rides. The jewel of Ontario Place is the Cinesphere, the world’s first permanent IMAX® cinema, now showing 3D films. In honor of the park’s 40th anniversary in 2011, the unique, silver-domed Cinesphere received a complete renovation, including the addition of Mondo Harmoni flooring throughout the complex. DECADES OF EDUCATION AND ENTERTAINMENT From the day the Cinesphere at Ontario Place opened in May 1971, people flocked to see films on the screen that measured 80 feet wide and 60 feet high. The original seating capacity for the theatre was 752 for visitors to watch all formats of motion pictures. Special shows produced for Expo ‘67 in Montreal and Expo ’70 in Osaka also shown at the Cinesphere were previously only seen in theatres specifically designed for the larger format. During the celebrations for the 40th anniversary, the Cinesphere received 101,000 visitors – an average of 8,000 people per day. Prior to opening day in May 2011, contractors worked tirelessly on projects to upgrade the entire park, including a complete renovation of the Cinesphere IMAX® theatre. OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW “We were retrofitting the entire theatre, including the projection room, screen, seating and flooring,” says Keith Brown, director of operations for Ontario Place. Part of the renovation began with the decision to put in an updated IMAX® projection booth with larger equipment required to show 3D IMAX® films. “The projection room was done first, then we proceeded with the complete renovation of the theatre’s interior. There was definitely a time pressure to get this project done, but we were very happy with the end results.” Pag. 1/4 Redesigning the theatre opened an opportunity to take all the seats out and replace the aging carpet with Mondo Harmoni rubber flooring. “Having the addition of the Mondo product was a positive move for a number of reasons,” says Mukhlis Mutlag, project manager, maintenance and construction for Ontario Place. “In addition to the ease and of maintenance and slip resistance, the Mondo Harmoni floor is also healthier with the anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties. We installed Mondo in all the high traffic areas, and it worked out very well. Even though it was custom designed, we were able to meet our budget, which was very important. ” DESIGNS ON THE FUTURE Architects Valerie Gow and Philip Hastings originally wanted to order from a new European line of Mondo flooring. “We had planned on using a product called Grain, which has a very distinctive look,” says Valerie Gow. “Unfortunately, due to the short timeline it would not arrive in time. Thanks to our Mondo representative we looked at the Mondo Harmoni product, which could be customized to replicate as close as possible the original Grain design. It was manufactured in Montreal, which allowed us to meet our schedule deadline.” The other reason the design team chose Mondo Harmoni flooring was its durability. “The Cinesphere had not been renovated since its original opening, so any new product that was installed would have to last for a long time,” says Philip Hastings. “The fact that Mondo offers a 20-year lifespan fit well with the future use of the facility. Because the flooring has such a long lifespan, we were reluctant to install specific cut-outs as we wanted to create a timeless design.“ The Mondo Harmoni was a good match to coordinate other aspects of the project. “The charcoal base color offsets small flecks of black, a graphite grey and creamy white,” says Gow. “We were able to pull those colors into the designs throughout the theatre. The warm, charcoal color also serves as a neutral base for the bright red and black seats in the theatre, and robins egg blue on the front of the concession area.” Over the years, the geodesic structure of the Cinesphere had been compromised internally with square additions for offices and multi-use rooms. “The biggest driving force for us in this building was to reinforce the shape of the sphere,” says Hastings. “To focus on the unique walls, we took photographs of Lake Superior and surrounding mountains then enlarged the images and installed them on the curved areas. Adjacent to the concession area, cove lights were installed to “float” the feature wall and highlight the Mondo flooring below.” Everyone involved in the revitalization of the Cinesphere at Ontario Place was pleased with the final outcome. “We are looking forward to many successful years ahead,” says Brown. Pag. 2/4 Pag. 3/4 Pag. 4/4.