Beloved Berlin cinema Kino International gets a new lease of life with stunning €15m renovation
The extensive revamp of the German capital’s historic institution has once again put the theatre on the forefront of premium viewing experiences.
The sustained popularity of Berlin’s 56 arthouse and independent cinemas shows that the city still has a healthy appetite for the silver screen. That’s why cinema operator Yorck Kinogruppe commissioned Dickmann Richter Architekten to refurbish Kino International, a beacon of postwar modernism built on Karl-Marx-Allee in 1963. During the GDR era, it served as East Berlin’s flagship cinema, screening state-produced films to promote socialist values.
Following the city’s reunification in 1990, Kino International remained a beloved institution, with its cantilevered entrance and crystal chandeliers helping to turn every screening into an event. “Upon entering it, you sense its special atmosphere,” says Wolfram Weimer, Germany’s minister of state and commissioner for culture and the media. architecture Stardust memories Berlin “It’s a place where you can breathe the history of film in Berlin.”
To preserve its identity, the architects restored more than 7km of wooden slats lining the auditorium walls. The silver premiere curtain’s 40 million sequins have also been meticulously restitched into the fabric. “Kino International holds emotional value for many,” says architect Daniel Dickmann. “Its rooms are repositories of memories.”
The €15m refurbishment has updated acoustics and sound systems, while seating capacity has been reduced from 600 to 506 to create extra leg room. “We wanted to guide Kino International into the present,” adds Dickmann. “It looks like it used to but has been reimagined in every respect.”
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Daniel Dickmann is a co-founder of Dickmann Richter Architekten, based in Berlin.
From the architect’s perspective:
“With a refreshed colour scheme, carefully designed lighting and today’s technical standards, the building once again radiates the modernity that distinguished it in 1963. The main challenges of conservation-led restoration lie in historic buildings’ individuality. Here, the most significant elements are the gold ceiling in the lobby, the natural stone slips in the staircases and the auditorium’s timber slatted walls. Guests can look forward to rediscovering these familiar spaces in renewed splendour.”
