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Spotlight on Busan as Cinema Center rushes to complete in time for 16th Busan International Film Festival in October
The COOP HIMMELB(L)AU-designed Busan Cinema Center in South Korea is undergoing furious finishes to construction in preparation for its official opening on 29th September 2011. Conceptualised to house the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), the shimmering multimedia venue offers approximately 60,000 sq m of event, entertainment and performance space, supported by dining and administrative volumes.
A defining feature of the Center is its stunning cantilever roof system – the longest free cantilever in the world with a span of 85m for a roof surface of 60m x 120m. The steel volume is anchored by a vast cone-shaped column within which are confined the cafe and entranceway. Completed in March 2011 this impressive roof system has garnered much media attention and continues to brand the Center as a remarkable feat of design and engineering.
The dynamic LED lighting surface which covers the entire undulating ceiling of the cantilevered roof has been installed and tested. Light show programmes in full motion graphics produced and tailored to events of the Film Festival by visual artists can be displayed across the whole ceiling, visible during the day but creating a lively urban atmosphere particularly at night.
The official opening of the volume is scheduled for 29th September with noted architect and founder of COOP HIMMELB(L)AU Wolf D. Prix to receive an Honorary Citizenship of Busan prior to giving a lecture on 5th October. An exhibition from the design studio is also planned at the Busan Design Center and will open to the public on 4th October.
Previously known as the Pusan International Film Festival, BIFF is due to commence on 6th October 2011 in its new home at the Busan Cinema Center. The week-long event is a celebration of young, up and coming directors and hidden gems of the film industry with a concentration on those from Asian countries. The Asian Project Market will run alongside the festival in order to connect aspiring directors to potential financial backers.
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