Look Cinema

Look Cinema is an 11-screen, 54,000-sq.-ft. movie theater located in Dallas, Texas. Some unique challenges to this project were the custom form liner, the geometry of the building, and the as-cast architectural finish required for the panels. The form liner is a 1½-in.-wide wooden plank pattern with random depths ranging from 0-in. depressions to ¾-in. depressions. The form liner that was specified was a custom form liner that had never been used on any other project.

In order to achieve an as-cast surface that met the project requirements, the issues of consolidation of the concrete around the form liner geometry had to be overcome, particularly at the corners, cutting and adjoining form liner sheets, securing the form liner to the casting surface, and stripping the form liner in a way that would not damage the finished product. After multiple site cast mock-up panels, the team determined the mix design that was best suited for the panels, the method of securing the form liner to the casting surface, and the means of cutting and abutting the form liner sheets that achieved the desired finish.