Interpreting Art House: Paramount Theatre, 25 Courtenay Place, Wellington

Abstract

The typical Art House cinema is made for niche rather than mass audiences. 'There may be unexplained gaps in the film, deliberately unclear sequences, or extraneous sequences that are not related to previous scenes, which force the viewer to subjectively make their own interpretation of the film's message.' The goal of this design research investigation is to challenge interior architecture to 'interpret Art House', such that the new interiors of the Paramount Cinema on Courtenay Place facilitate patrons becoming familiar with Art House film as a genre. This investigation begins by conceiving three separate theatres which reflect the different typologies of art house films. The smallest is completely enclosed, houses 15 people at one time, and shows art house 'short' films lasting less than 20 minutes. The intermediate theatre is in the lowest point in the building, semi-enclosed, and shows film noir, dark or horror films. The largest cinema is high in the building, very open, and shows lighter thoughtful art films. Art House cinema involves transitions from one reality to another as a fundamental cinematic experience. This concept is translated into interior architecture by enabling patrons to simultaneously witness multiple spaces and even glimpse multiple films occurring at the same time. Unlike traditional fully enclosed cinemas, all three new cinemas are open to view from pathways which encompass the building. This experience enables an important role to be undertaken by the spectator as an active participant in the Art House film genre. This new design incorporates three 'film-specific' cinemas (visible from multiple points of view) with social interaction spaces that encourage discussion and interaction. Small bar and café areas bring strangers together to exchange different ideas on the films. From these social gathering spaces, different films might even be partially visible in more than one direction. All three cinemas are intimately integrated with these café spaces so that they become part of the same experience: contemplative zones glimpsing multiple realities, such that patrons find themselves seamlessly 'Interpreting Art House'. There are no set conclusions for the patrons. Paraphrasing the quote above, these new architectural interventions, like Art House film, establish their own 'unexplained gaps…, deliberately unclear sequences, or extraneous sequences that are not related…, which force the viewer to subjectively make their own interpretation…'