diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 2d91f8b29..2484d6eb1 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -20,11 +20,12 @@ source_group(game FILES ${GAME} ${GAME_HEADER})
 
 set(GAMEREND 
     apps/openmw/mwrender/mwscene.cpp 
-    apps/openmw/mwrender/cell.cpp
+    apps/openmw/mwrender/cellimp.cpp
     apps/openmw/mwrender/interior.cpp
     apps/openmw/mwrender/sky.cpp)
 set(GAMEREND_HEADER 
     apps/openmw/mwrender/cell.hpp 
+    apps/openmw/mwrender/cellimp.hpp 
     apps/openmw/mwrender/mwscene.hpp
     apps/openmw/mwrender/interior.hpp 
     apps/openmw/mwrender/playerpos.hpp
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/cell.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/cell.hpp
index 4ef4cc64c..756ec1cda 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/cell.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/cell.hpp
@@ -1,46 +1,22 @@
-#ifndef _GAME_RENDER_CELL_H
-#define _GAME_RENDER_CELL_H
+#ifndef GAME_RENDER_CELL_H
+#define GAME_RENDER_CELL_H
 
-#include <string>
-
-namespace ESM
+namespace MWRender 
 {
-  class CellRef;
-}
-
-namespace ESMS
-{
-  class CellStore;
-}
-
-namespace MWRender
-{
-  /// Base class for cell render, that implements inserting references into a cell in a
-  /// cell type- and render-engine-independent way.
-
-  class CellRender
-  {
-  public:
-    CellRender() {}
-    virtual ~CellRender() {}
-
-    /// start inserting a new reference.
-    virtual void insertBegin (const ESM::CellRef &ref) = 0;
-
-    /// insert a mesh related to the most recent insertBegin call.
-    virtual void insertMesh(const std::string &mesh) = 0;
+    class CellRender
+    {
+        public: 
     
-    /// insert a light related to the most recent insertBegin call.
-    virtual void insertLight(float r, float g, float b, float radius) = 0;
+            virtual ~CellRender() {};
     
-    /// finish inserting a new reference and return a handle to it.
-    virtual std::string insertEnd() = 0;
-      
-    void insertCell(const ESMS::CellStore &cell);
-    
-    /// placeholder function -> need to do some heavy refactoring on the whole cell stuff
-    virtual void show() = 0;
-  };
+            /// Make the cell visible. Load the cell if necessary.
+            virtual void show() = 0;
+            
+            /// Remove the cell from rendering, but don't remove it from
+            /// memory.
+            virtual void hide() = 0; 
+    };
 }
 
 #endif
+
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/cell.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/cellimp.cpp
similarity index 87%
rename from apps/openmw/mwrender/cell.cpp
rename to apps/openmw/mwrender/cellimp.cpp
index 912418459..10d647673 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/cell.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/cellimp.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#include "cell.hpp"
+#include "cellimp.hpp"
 
 #include <cassert>
 
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 using namespace MWRender;
 
 template<typename T>
-void insertObj(CellRender& cellRender, const T& liveRef)
+void insertObj(CellRenderImp& cellRender, const T& liveRef)
 {
   assert (liveRef.base != NULL);
   const std::string &model = liveRef.base->model;
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ void insertObj(CellRender& cellRender, const T& liveRef)
 }
 
 template<>
-void insertObj(CellRender& cellRender, const ESMS::LiveCellRef<ESM::Light>& liveRef)
+void insertObj(CellRenderImp& cellRender, const ESMS::LiveCellRef<ESM::Light>& liveRef)
 {
   assert (liveRef.base != NULL);
   const std::string &model = liveRef.base->model;
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ void insertObj(CellRender& cellRender, const ESMS::LiveCellRef<ESM::Light>& live
 }
 
 template<typename T>
-void insertCellRefList (CellRender& cellRender, const T& cellRefList)
+void insertCellRefList (CellRenderImp& cellRender, const T& cellRefList)
 {
   for(typename T::List::const_iterator it = cellRefList.list.begin();
     it != cellRefList.list.end(); it++)
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ void insertCellRefList (CellRender& cellRender, const T& cellRefList)
   }
 }
 
-void CellRender::insertCell(const ESMS::CellStore &cell)
+void CellRenderImp::insertCell(const ESMS::CellStore &cell)
 {
   // Loop through all references in the cell
   insertCellRefList (*this, cell.activators);
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/cellimp.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/cellimp.hpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..da598bd82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/cellimp.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#ifndef _GAME_RENDER_CELLIMP_H
+#define _GAME_RENDER_CELLIMP_H
+
+#include <string>
+
+namespace ESM
+{
+  class CellRef;
+}
+
+namespace ESMS
+{
+  class CellStore;
+}
+
+namespace MWRender
+{
+  /// Base class for cell render, that implements inserting references into a cell in a
+  /// cell type- and render-engine-independent way.
+
+  class CellRenderImp
+  {
+  public:
+    CellRenderImp() {}
+    virtual ~CellRenderImp() {}
+
+    /// start inserting a new reference.
+    virtual void insertBegin (const ESM::CellRef &ref) = 0;
+
+    /// insert a mesh related to the most recent insertBegin call.
+    virtual void insertMesh(const std::string &mesh) = 0;
+    
+    /// insert a light related to the most recent insertBegin call.
+    virtual void insertLight(float r, float g, float b, float radius) = 0;
+    
+    /// finish inserting a new reference and return a handle to it.
+    virtual std::string insertEnd() = 0;
+      
+    void insertCell(const ESMS::CellStore &cell);
+
+  };
+}
+
+#endif
diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwrender/interior.hpp b/apps/openmw/mwrender/interior.hpp
index af527f324..f4876752a 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwrender/interior.hpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwrender/interior.hpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define _GAME_RENDER_INTERIOR_H
 
 #include "cell.hpp"
+#include "cellimp.hpp"
 #include "components/esm_store/cell_store.hpp"
 
 #include "OgreColourValue.h"
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ namespace MWRender
      TODO FIXME: Doesn't do full cleanup yet.
    */
 
-  class InteriorCellRender : public CellRender
+  class InteriorCellRender : public CellRender, private CellRenderImp
   {
 
     static bool lightConst;
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ namespace MWRender
     void hide();
 
     /// Destroy all rendering objects connected with this cell.
-    void destroy();
+    void destroy(); // comment by Zini: shouldn't this go into the destructor?
 
     /// Switch through lighting modes.
     void toggleLight();