China's biggest cinema is coming to Baoshan district
flickr: reynermedia
Construction has begun on the world’s third-largest cinema, and it’s going to be right here in Shanghai. Shaped like a giant pearl, the Changtan cinema will sit atop a former container dock in Baoshan and its screen will stand at an impressive 22.4 metres wide by 12 metres tall. The theatre will seat 380 people – just imagine, that's all of your WeChat contacts in the same room, or the queue for Tron at Disneyland on a quiet day.
According to SHINE, the megaproject (like a normal project but big) is set to open in 2019 and will be surrounded by two enormous malls in the shape of frolicking river dolphins. The cinema is part of an expensive effort to make Baoshan an ‘up-and-coming’ residential area, with a monolithic concert hall dubbed the 'Crystal' under construction in the area as well. Although it’s not easy for Shanghai to out-Shanghai itself these days – think indoor Hello Kitty theme park for one – this recent announcement might have done the trick.