
first image
'welt spiegel' renovation by alexander fehre, cottbus, germany
image © zooey braun
on a rounded street corner in a university town southeast of berlin sits the second-oldest operating cinema in germany. dubbed the 'world mirror',
the historic movie house was an apartment building in 1907 until local architect paul thiel's conversion design was realized posthumously.
after world war II, the facade was restored and anamorphic widescreen playbacks were installed stage-side; it was one of the few remaining
'kinozweckbauten', movie theaters, to emerge relatively unscathed from the german reich cities. centered around preservation of a monumental
gold ceiling, stuttgart-based designer alexander fehre has given the space a new life with dramatic, curved interiors and linear patterns of LED lights.
the single-hall 520-seat cinema now boasts 2 more annexed sleek screens with 80 seats each.

renovated main hall
image © zooey braun

the golden ceiling in the great hall
image © zooey braun

image © Zooey Braun

functional utilities are integrated into the design
image © zooey braun

entrance hall with ceiling projection and 3d carpet print
image © Zooey Braun

the new staircase connects the old building with the new annex
image © zooey braun

the "black box" is one of the 2 new cinema halls
image © zooey braun

special polygonal shape delineated by led contours
image © zooey braun

a second new projection room contains an oculus
image © zooey braun

the projector beams through the round opening
image © zooey braun

circular shape motifs remain consistent
image © zooey braun

night view
image © zooey braun
![]()

floor plan level 0

floor plan level 1

floor plan level 3

floor plan mezzanine level 4
Love that wall recess for the fire extinguisher.
Such a cool project. Now that’s a movie palace.
Clever planning and detailing, but what a ghastly atmosphere. Bereft of the warmth that is so essential in the theatre.