Engaging Architectural Installation On Aucklands Streets

A busy Auckland street corner became the stage for an interesting installation that strives to engage the public with its urban landscape in a unique way. Architectural collective OH.NO.SUMO designed a miniature cinema to fit on to a building’s staircase, showcasing a bright red geometry. Inspired by the lack of socialization and interaction between people at local bus stops and laundromats, the designers of OH.NO.SUMO displayed the Stairway Cinema as their third major installation – an engaging project offering passers-by the same type of content they search for while waiting around, only displayed in a small, socializing environment. The intersection of Symonds Street and Mount Street offers a comfortable social experience – red cushions are scattered on the steps, inviting people to enjoy sharing their opinions offline while staying connected to the trending media.

A timber frame covered with three layers of waterproof fabric and the cinematic display creates a fun social hub: “Short movies previously shared online, are projected for the public to enjoy, offering similar media to that sought out on their phones. The individual experience is exchanged for the communal and social, leading to a shared, fun and architecturally framed experience. Movies are collected from internet recommendations that have been shared by the public through social media. The public curate this virtual collection of media continuously and the cinema captures current trends and highlights within this realm. Stairway Cinema uses architecture as a way of engaging in a discussion about curatorial practice, urbanism and the role of Architects as place-makers and provocateurs.”