Erecting small-scale architecture is one of the activities that can help heal public spaces - small scale, relatively low cost of design and erection, and multifunctionality are among the key features of such developments. A unique yet worthy example of this type of building is the outdoor cinema in Suszec by Ligas Architects.
Cultural life in Suszec, located in the Silesian province, has for years been animated by the thriving Municipal Cultural Center. In 2022, the intensive cultural and educational activities of the local GOK were expanded with a completely new feature - an outdoor cinema by Ligas Architekci studio. The investment was created thanks to an unusual source of financing - as we are not dealing here with a private or local government contract. The cinema in Suszec was erected under the cooperation of two associations - the Pszczyna Land Local Action Group Association and the Bielsko Land Local Action Group Association. They developed a wide-ranging cultural and educational project called EDU PARK, as part of which, among other things, ten playgrounds equipped with sensory and educational installations were built in the localities involved. The most spectacular part of the project, in turn, was the open-air cinema in Suszec, which is the protagonist of this text, and whose implementation was valued at about 830 thousand zlotys.
Open-air cinema in Suszec
Photo: Tomasz Zakrzewski © Ligas Architekci
open-air cinema
The open-air cinema in Suszec can certainly be considered an unusual construction. The basic idea was to create a small building of an open character with a covered auditorium and a stage. The result was an object with a form similar to that of a cuboid, dynamized by "cutting out" a fragment of one of its bases, directly under the stepped-shaped auditorium. The walls on the sides of the auditorium were also "vaporized" from the cuboid. The whole structure looks, by the way, as if its heart, that is, the cinema hall, had been cut out of the cinema building - all we have here is the canopy, the stage, the auditorium and the walls directly behind and in front of it.
Outdoor cinema in Suszec
Photo: Tomasz Zakrzewski © Ligas Architekci
concrete poem
The outdoor cinema building in Suszec is a monolithic block cast in reinforced concrete. The minimalist design was realized with attention to detail, and reinforced concrete has not only a structural function here, but also an aesthetic one, expressed in two procedures used during erection. The first was the use of anthracite colored concrete - it gives the cinema elegance and corresponds in color to the greenery of the surrounding park. The second was the method of developing the surface of the facade, where it was decided to leave traces of the wooden formwork used during the casting of the block. The quality of workmanship is also of considerable importance - looking at the realization by Łukasz Ligas, it is worth appreciating the diversity in the development of individual elements - in some places the surfaces are rough, in other places we are dealing with precisely cast surfaces and edges.
Outdoor cinema in Suszec
Photo: Tomasz Zakrzewski © Ligas Architekci
Concrete, however, is not the only material used in the Suszyce open-air cinema - the auditorium and the wall behind it are lined with larch planks, which brighten and warm the "interior", providing a contrast to the dark, anthracite construction. The steps leading to the higher rows of audience benches, in turn, have been secured with glass barriers, which do not interfere with the visual effect achieved by "opening up" the cinema on the sides of the auditorium.
less can more
In English-language texts on architecture, it is very common to encounter the term "overdesigned" - In Polish it is difficult to find its equivalent, however, objects described in this way can be characterized as designed with too many functions or details. Things are completely different in this case - after all, one of the first terms that comes to mind when looking at the open-air cinema in Suszec is minimalism.If one were to consider the functional characteristics of the building, then only a few of its elements can be listed here. There is an auditorium with steps leading up to it, and a stage, which, thanks to the use of movable elements, can be used both inside and outside the building, depending on the needs. It is in vain to look for unnecessary fabrics here - only what is necessary has been included in the Dryden implementation. However, this is not a complaint.
Outdoor cinema in Suszec
Photo: Tomasz Zakrzewski © Ligas Architekci
Minimalism and a certain understatement are perhaps the greatest assets of the project, which are constantly making themselves known through the activities of the Municipal Cultural Center in Suszec, which uses the facility. The possibilities offered by the realization of Łukasz Ligas are much more than the name indicates. Of course, the primary purpose of the building is to serve as a cinema hall - due to the "two-sidedness" of the stage, however, it can be used in two ways. The screenings can be held inside the building, with a covered and therefore shaded auditorium - regardless of the level of sunlight and weather conditions. In this configuration, the cinema can accommodate about 50 people. However, if there is a need to organize a typical "under the cloud" cinema for a larger group, with help comes the option of turning the stage outside the building, where deck chairs can be set up in any number. However, film screenings are not the only activities at the heart of the building, which was built in 2022 - it hosts theater concerts, musical performances, educational classes and other outdoor events, among others. The cinema's minimalism and multifunctionality facilitate creative rearrangement of the co-created space, and allow flexibility during the events themselves - in case of bad weather, the use of the cinema can be easily changed and the performance taking place in front of the building can be moved inside.
Outdoor cinema in Suszec
Photo: Tomasz Zakrzewski © Ligas Architekci
the building is just the beginning
The realization created in Suszec is an example of how a small building can transform the space around it. The open-air cinema in Suszec is not only aesthetically pleasing, well-made and cleverly integrated into the context of its surroundings - it is above all highly functional. The minimalism of the design is not limiting. On the contrary, with its open structure it awakens creativity and invites the local community into action, supporting the activities of the Municipal Cultural Center.
