ArchitectureWeekend
From The Star And Shadow Cinema Wiki
CALL FOR PARTICIPATION: COLLABORATIVE ARCHITECTURE PROJECT.
Side cinema is approaching an enormous move. It is november now, and we are showing films in the cinema building on the Quayside, where we occupy a single auditorium with 50 seats. In December, our lease terminates, and we are moving out. We have found a warehouse used by Tyne Tees TV that has been empty for a little while. We are about to sign a lease on the building, but a lot of work needs to be done before it becomes a cinema. A plan of the building can be seen at: http://www.sidecinema.com/images/newbuilding/plan.jpg
We have always run as a mostly voluntary organisation (our bookkeeper and door staff get paid), and wish to continue to do so. We believe that running the cinema for free proves that there is an alternative to the culture driven by market forces that is based on people's interest in culture.
The cinema has evolved out of voluntary collaboration. Specifically the films we show are programmed by many people, not just one. We want our new building to reflect that. We would like the building to be built by people who want to go and watch a film or do something else there, or who just want to see it exist. We would rather go for a multiplicity of styles rather than just one - it would be lovely if the building reflected the tastes, genius ideas and limitations of everyone that built it. Independent cinema is no money spinner either, so we do not have large amounts of money to do enormous refurbs like a more conventional cultural organisation. If something needs to be done, we either teach ourselves how to do it, or ask a friend for help. Money may make the northern hemisphere rotate, but we prefer doing things for love or for something alternative to cash, so we would like the building of the cinema to be sponsored by people putting in their time and skills to see the building created.
When we say 'created' that is an exaggeration. We do not have to do anything to the buildings structure, or construct brick walls. We need to do the following works:
Cinema: Build a projection booth + staircase. Build a raked seating system for cinema seats. Build some partition walls and a doorway. Consider wheelchair access. Consider fire escapes. Consider screenings for families with small children. Paint, decorate, light and heat. Consider access to toilet block. Bar/Cafe: Build a bar, weith sink plumbed in. Fit a kitchen with sinks, fridges, surfaces for food preparation, oven/hob, storage. Plumb in gas? Adapt plumbing of sinks. Paint, decorate light and heat bar area. Design/ build bar seating. Design/build a ticket selling booth. Design/build a entrance into cafe. Consider wheelchair access Consider Fire escapes. Consider access to toilet block. Offices: Clean, paint and decorate, light and heat various office units. Make a darkroom with extractor fans and plumb in necessary machines/ sinks. Ensure power supplies are sufficient. Consider wheelchair access - potentially build a ramp up to offices. Consider Fire Escapes. Foyer: Design/build a foyer/corridor from front entrance to entrance of cafe/bar area. Heat?/light/paint/decorate it. Consider what to do with large area left unused - one offer is a drop in IT centre for public, particularly minority groups. Other: Computer network Video network Sound systems. General design. We would like to do a large amount of work in a 2week building festival, to which we are inviting anyone who would like to be involved. We want to run this design weekend partly to facilitate that building festival, but also to reflect on the social and architectural concepts of what we are doing, and to inspire a large group of people to help us build the cinema. The design weekend:
