March 20, 2008
Revue Anew
Rendering of restored Revue Cinema with elements of 1911 façade.
Now that the Revue has steadied after re-opening, the Revue Film Society is turning its attention to restoring the façade that fell in February of 2007 (breaking not only the marquee, but several filmgoers' hearts too). The Society has brought in preservation architect Michael McClelland and his team from E.R.A. Architects Inc. to help restore the Revue's exterior. Make sure to voice your opinion Saturday at 10:30 a.m. when the architects present their designs to the public.
The first option returns the Revue to its 1935 look, with the focal point being the marquee. The front door and ticket booth would also both be restored to their 1935 condition. This revamp is the priciest of the three options.
The second option is similar to the first, and restores the Art Moderne look from 1935, but without the marquee. This is the least exciting expensive of the three options.
Finally, the third option is a mash-up between the Revue's façades of 1911 and 1935. The restoration would feature exposed columns and cornices, a canopy that would protect the Deco Revue lettering, and an "R" that references the old marquee elevated above the canopy.
While the return to the classic movie house façade in the first option is neat, the smart and playful third option is most winning with its reinterpretation of the Revue's history. For a theatre coming off of a successful resurrection, remembering—but not being bound to—the past holds a certain poignancy.
All images by E.R.A. Architects Inc.
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I have issues with the weight of the R. Some mistakes are not worth preserving.
love the third option. with some slight modifications, it beats the other two hands down.
I'm told that whether or not the R will be the actual R from the marquee and how to anchor it best will both be discussed on Saturday!
I reluctantly agree with the "weight of the R" problem--however, that was visually dissipated when the letters were freestanding upon the canopy; highlighted against a black deco background (and perhaps by these rudimentary illustrations), the solecism screams out at you.
Under such circumstances, then, maybe the paradoxical best way to avoid the stigma of being "bound to the past" is to just bow to sentiment and resurrect the canopy--at least that way, you'll get some of the innocence back. "Smart and playful" (and comparatively economical) as the third option may be, something just seems too glam and gentrified and self-conscious for its own good--and to pick up from Joe Clark's point, perhaps being playful with the past can leave you more prone to being tripped up by said past?
As far as the R being the one from the marquee goes: keep in mind FWIW that it was one-sided, whereas this rendition is two-sided.
If the 'R' is such a problem, may I suggest a different letter? What about the visually related 'P'? Or a 'B'? Or the curious letter 'W'? I sure hope this helps!
After the canopy fell, that side of the street stepped out of the shadows and the theatre was actually at lot more noticeable in the daytime.
I like the old marquee for covering the sidewalk in inclement weather. I am neither enamored with the original, nor love-struck with the modern interpretations. I am just very happy the cinema itself was saved!
Let's not pretend the old prominence is an option - anything extending over the sidewalk is rife with liability and the old signage was grandfathered in with city bylaws in more than one sense of the phrase. This is a good chance for the Revue's current operators to deepen the impression the character of this building makes on the neighbourhood.
Sadly I was working down the street that morning, but I thought these two cents should go somewhere. With so few vestiges of the early deco/moderne style left in Toronto, it's a nice option to marry that mannerism with some reassuring features that bring the place into this era, such as polished surfaces that reflect available light (I think the 'black' areas should be glossy as can be).