Cinemaxx Junior is the first cinema of its kind in Asia and breaks new ground in the typology, offering a blended experience of visual and physical entertainment for children and their families in Indonesia. The concept of Cinemaxx Junior arose from the observation that families with young children often do not fully enjoy their first movie experiences, where silence is expected and parents spend more time attending to their children. This created a unique opportunity to custom-design a space dedicated to children aged 3 to 10 and their families, by bringing together the two enjoyable activities of movie-watching and playing in a cohesively-designed environment.

In a distinct departure from the traditional movie-going experience, Cinemaxx Junior redefines the movie experience by offering patrons the freedom to move around at will – children are not constrained to assigned seats, but are encouraged to explore while socialising with other children. With the play element fully integrated with the movie experience, parents and guardians no longer have to worry that their child would disturb other visitors, which exponentially increases their enjoyment of the space.

The interior design adopts a progressive approach to play with an emphasis on tactility and interaction, with safety as the foremost consideration. The intentional design of non-specific circulation and programmatic paths encourage freedom of expression and independent thought. Comprehensive and in-depth consideration was given to the design in terms of function, aesthetics, and range of play equipment, to achieve a good balance of high physicality and low-impact activities, so as to provide a fun, diverse and dynamic environment.

The cinema accommodates 106 people at full capacity, translating to approximately 30 families per session. The seating configuration was designed to appeal to a child’s sensibilities and the non-conventional seating design encourages informality, with bean bags, loungers, and sofa beds. In terms of lighting design in the screening area, the overall lux level was kept between 80 to 100 lux to ensure that children running around can see their way clearly. General sound levels were also decreased to take care of children’s sensitive hearing. Generous leg room provided along each platform allowed for safe passageway for running children. The design of the washrooms was also catered for children, with majority of the fixtures installed at child-friendly heights, and spacious nursing and changing facilities are also provided.

Cinemaxx Junior is without doubt much more than its prescribed function of a playground and a cinema; the seamless and skillful blending of the two results in a celebration of family and togetherness, and redefines the movie experience amidst a chorus of children’s joyous laughter.