Is this the hygienic cinema seat of the future?

The coronavirus pandemic has certainly altered the cinema experience in several ways.

In the UAE, social distancing monitors now patrol the corridors and concession stands. Visitors are told to wear masks at all times. Many seats are blocked off to ensure patrons don’t sit too close to one another.

However, many – for understandable reasons – remain wary of going to the movies. Could a new type of seat change that?

Layer, a UK design company, recently revealed its Sequel Seat, a cinema chair concept designed with social distancing in mind, which has a number of features to improve hygiene.

With a curved headrest that is fitted with an overarching partition, the Sequel is made from copper threads that the company says have antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.

The 3D-knitted upholstery, which is stain and water-resistant, is also designed to prevent dirt being lodged within the fabric.

But what is perhaps most eye-catching about the seat is its colour. With a pale pink centre and a muted blue body, its warm pastel shades were directly inspired by the hues often seen in Wes Anderson films such as The Grand Budapest Hotel. 

The company says this gives the Sequel Seat a direct “connection to the world of cinema”, while setting it apart from the burgundy and black seats often found in screening rooms.

But a slew of technological features within the Sequel may make it the cinema seat of the future. The headrests are fitted with LED lights that project the row number on to the floor and display the ticket number and name of the person who booked it.

This is to ensure audience members don’t accidentally breach social distancing rules by sitting in the wrong place.

The Sequel Seat is also modular, which means it can be arranged into rows of any length, to fit in cinemas of different sizes and layouts. It has a swivelling side table with a cup holder and can be reclined or fully extended using a control panel fitted into the armrest. The control panel can also adjust lumbar support and change the seat’s temperature.

A pyramid-shaped enclosure, created when two seats are joined together, provides ample space to store bags and jackets. The enclosure uses ultraviolet germicidal irradiation to sterilise belongings – UVGI lights are also fitted to the back of each seat to sterilise the one behind it between screenings.

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“It is currently predicted that the global box office could lose $10 billion (Dh36.73bn) due to the pandemic,” Layer said. “Sequel Seat offers the opportunity for cinemas to transform the cinema experience for moviegoers and tackle these challenges in a meaningful way.”

Benjamin Hubert, Layer’s founder, said a product like the Sequel Seat would help encourage people to return to cinemas.

“In today’s rapidly evolving entertainment landscape, it is essential for the cinema to offer an experience that is significantly different from the growing streaming market,” Hubert said.

“Sequel Seat is a tool that delivers the enhanced comfort and essential safety features that will help cinemas define themselves as a safe place where moviegoers can be transported to another world.”