One Plus Partnership has a simple philosophy. “We want every project to be distinct and special,” says founder Virginia Lung and creative director Ajax Law, “but also clearly recognisable as our own.”

The trademark approach of the Hong Kong design studio is to visualise unusual thematic spaces rooted in the DNA of the project. “We find out what is most important about the location, or the philosophy of the owner, or the nature of the business itself and the theme usually springs from that.”

Since launching in 2004, Virginia and partner Ajax Law have built an impressive body of commercial work in cinemas, restaurants, clubhouses and retail stores. Last year, they earned A&D Excellence Awards for two remarkable cinema projects in China.

In the Jinyi Cinema in the third-tier city of Liuzhou, distinctive long metal curved sheets suspended from the ceiling of the cinema foyer pay homage to the historic Liu River, which winds through the city, and the curling shape of rolls of film.

The pyramid-shaped shaft of light emitting from the projector was the inspiration for Panlong Plaza cinema complex in Wuhan (pictured above). Sculpted almost entirely from grey cement, it offers an incredible juxtaposition of angles and geometric patterns.

Of course, not all customers can afford the Rolls-Royce treatment, so the partners developed Pulse On as a more budget-conscious design option without compromising too much on One Plus’ signature creativity. Virginia says they were delighted to receive the A&D awards, which generated positive exposure in the local market among developers and potential clients.