Empire Cinemas
By now, Havelock One has proudly delivered three turnkey fit-outs in KSA for Empires Cinemas, the well-known Lebanese brand that has conquered the kingdom by storm with cinematic experiences.
- ClientBright Minds
- LocationKSA
- scope of workTurnkey Fit-out
- SizeVarious
- SectorEntertainment
- timeline2020 - 2023
Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the brand, Lebanese cinema operator Empire entered the Saudi Arabian market in 2019, with the opening of their first theatre in Jizan. After having completed the 10-screen project successfully, the client tasked Havelock One to take care of a much larger and complex project at Al Rashid Mall in Al Khobar. 18 theatres, including three auditoria for kids, two Dolby Atmos movie theatres, three VIP and one immersive 4DX cinema, as well as public and BOH areas, cover a total space of 66,887 sq ft.
The industrial designs of Design Novel Architecture (DNA) were inspired by “New York” – and are expressed with metal sheets, corrugated and powder-coated in-house, and seamlessly installed by our fit-out team on site. Graffiti paintings by Saudi artist Ali Al Zourib contribute street credibility.
The public areas feature F&B and ticketing concessions and kiosks. The main foyer leads to passages paneled with back-painted tempered extra-clear glass, where LED strips create magical effects, and further to VIP concessions, the kids party hall, a ‘Tiny Factory’, waiting areas and restrooms. The BOH areas include two kitchens, out of which one caters to the needs of the VIP audience.
All millworks, including inviting wooden benches, were also supplied by our factory in Askar, Bahrain, while the acoustic decorative finishes inside the theatres were sourced from China and the carped was specified from a supplier in South Africa. All structural steel and concrete works were carried out locally, to build the stadia and mezzanine floor for services.
Havelock One has now also completed the turnkey fit-out of the first of three Empire cinemas it was awarded in late 2021. The cineplex in Othaim Mall, Al Ahsa is the third Empire cinema Havelock One has completed for the 100-year-old brand. Two more cinemas in Madina and Rabwah will be completed early this year as part of the $25m KSA investment project.
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