Winner 2015 CEDIA Awards:

Best Media Room Under $25,000

Dedicated Media Room

A carefully integrated cinema into an already existing space, this cinema is the perfect example of how through careful design decisions and consideration a dedicated cinema room is possible in any space. Through simple choices like a removable fixed frame screen and considered air ventilation, the cinema room was able to be fully functioning whilst not effecting the integrity of the original space.

Although the client wanted to convert the downstairs rumpus room into a dedicated cinema, they expressed concern that it would have to work with the floor tiles. There is a bar at the back of the room and doors open up to the backyard, which was not to change. After meeting Wavetrain the client was convinced and moved ahead with the project.

Although a relatively small cinema, there was a lot of back and forth on the final design. The audio video equipment was originally to be located on the other side of the front wall in a basement area to keep the cost low. Later this changed to a full joinery unit to house the equipment, subwoofers, blu-rays, etc.

All of the audio video equipment can be serviced by removing the fixed frame screen, which is fixed in place with a simple Velcro system to allow easy removal. The rear of the joinery is open, with all shelves cut 400mm deep, which allows 250mm clearance to see down the back of the equipment for installation and servicing. It also allowed us to strap the cabling into neat runs. The equipment ventilates through these slots, along with slotted shelves and an air intake on the underside of the front kickboard.

The final result is brilliant. The clients love the cinema and use it more than they ever thought they would. Although this is not a high-end cinema, it shows what careful design can achieve.