Designs for a floating cinema that will tour the canals and rivers of East London have been unveiled by architects. The project is part of an Olympic-backed initiative and will launch this summer.
The design of the floating cinema. Photo courtesy of Studio Weave
Studio Weave revealed a sketch last week of the turquoise converted barge that will navigate the waterways of Hackney and the four other host boroughs.
The cinema forms this year’s edition to Up Projects’ Portavilion series, which brings a set of temporary pavilions to London’s parks and public spaces, and has been commissioned by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) as part of the cultural participation programme in the lead up to the Games.
The exterior of the boat will include a quilted shelter at the stern and the interior will include blackout screens to make film-viewing more enjoyable.
Maria Smith, a director at Chatham-based Studio Weave, said: “It is great to be involved with the ODA, and we loved the idea of watching a film while bobbing along on the canal.
“We wanted the barge to have some kind of relationship to traditional canal colours but also give it a twist” Miss Smith said.
The barge’s exact route and programme of films is currently being developed by art collective Somewhere, based on Well Street, but it is hoped that the cinema will be able to accommodate on-board screenings as well as providing a base for larger outdoor events along the waterways.
The Floating Cinema will run from 2 July until 18 September.
