Atlas

Cinemagoers seated in the dark Atlas cinemas see only the rolling film and hear the surrounding sound. This is because Troldtekt panels have been installed on the walls, enhancing the eye's grey-scale perception and improving the acoustics.

Troldtekt, Atlas
Photo: Helene Høyer Mikkelsen, architect

Rødovre Centrum is a major shopping centre which has been renovated and expanded several times. During the last round of extensions, a cinema was added which visitors access from a covered car park. The cinema is located on the lowest floor together with an impressive fountain that can be seen and heard from the top of the building due to its position at the centre of a large oval stairway. As you enter the spacious cinema foyer, external noise from the shopping centre is excluded behind glass doors so your focus moves to ticket sales and which of the five cinemas to choose. Here, Troldtekt acoustic panels have been installed on the ceiling between the concrete ribs to control noise levels in the foyer.

The five cinemas vary in size from a VIP room with 35 luxury seats to the largest 293 seater. For all of them, overall comfort and quality design have been a major concern. Troldtekt panels have been installed on the walls of the cinemas, ranging in colour from white to black. The pattern varies between cinemas, helping to give each its own special identity. Troldtekt panels, more commonly installed on ceilings, have also been used as rugged wall decoration in six different shades and combined in various ways.

The open surface of the Troldtekt panels absorbs sound, yet is also highly impact-resistant. The other surfaces of the cinema have been lined with black sound absorbent materials, which together ensure the right acoustic experience for the film's soundtrack. Peter Schøidte, architect at Kieler Architects A/S, notes that they encouraged the use of Troldtekt cement-bonded wood wool in the cinemas not only as a cost-effective solution but because the panels are a durable material which can also be used for decorative purposes.