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Hodgetts + Fung

Egyptian Theater

Hollywood

-UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Project

Located in the heart of Hollywood, the historic Egyptian Theater, built in 1922, is slated to become the permanent home for American Cinematheque. With the new space, American Cinematheque will provide audiences with year-round programming, including annual film festivals, tributes to filmmakers and actors, and screenings of rare works and special prints.

History

Located in the heart of Hollywood, California, the original building design was inspired by the discovery of King Tutankhamen's tomb, and was built in 1922 by Sid Grauman, who later built the infamous Grauman's Chinese Theater. Its popularity brought a series of copy-cat Egyptian style theaters that sprang up throughout the country.

The Egyptian Theater has been closed to the public since 1992, after suffering extensive structural damage from the Northridge earthquake, ending its 70-year history.

Architectural Strategy

The project entails revamping the original space, including the creation of a 700-seat theater for showcasing films, a 75-seat screening room for new, emerging studio art forms, and fully equipped projection booths. The entrance courtyard off Hollywood Boulevard will be defined by retail space as in the original 1922 configuration, providing shops, "gallery", bookstore, café, and roof garden. The original entrance portico will be restored with its ticket booth and four massive 4-1/2 foot columns, rising to a height of 20 feet.

The design approach for the main theater encompasses a modern state-of-the-art theater within the historic theater shell. The new, modern theater will be a "machine" from which the audience views the historic theater underneath. MEP, acoustic and lighting systems will be hung from the steel frame surrounding the new theater. Retractable acoustic panels will slide into place at the beginning of presentations to enclose the new theater, and retract to the front of the theater at the conclusion of presentations as the theater lights go up.

The ornate sunburst pattern of the ceiling will be restored to its original glory and a Würlitzer theater organ, constructed in the same year as the Egyptian Theater, will be installed for silent film presentations as well as organ recitals.