By Renee Cho
The Uptown team is deep into design development this summer; the original architectural renderings are now being refined–from measurements and material choices down to the wires and venting. For architects Voith & Mactavish (V&M), which has restored and renovated several historic movie theaters, it also means sustainable strategies are crystallizing.
“The concept of traditional design and sustainability have always gone hand in hand,” says John Cluver, lead architect on the project. “If you think about what traditional architecture is, it’s designing to the climate, designing to the environment that you’re in, use of natural strategies of ventilation and use of natural materials.”
John and colleague Elie Zeinoun are aiming for Silver LEED certification for the Uptown, which signifies a project that has gone significantly beyond basic green building requirements and standard local building codes, and is making a verifiable commitment to environmental stewardship.
For the Uptown, this entails reusing as much as possible of the existing building and structure. “This in itself is a huge sustainability boost, because you are avoiding new materials, and avoiding both the outsourcing and the transportation of the material,” explains Elie. “There’s a life cycle impact and carbon reduction that’s tied to that.” The roof structure, exterior walls and center floor will be reused, but all exterior surfaces will be insulated to modern levels of insulation for thermal efficiency.
New sustainable, Red List-free materials [the gold standard for material health and safety] will be used throughout. This means that all paints, carpets, wall coverings, insulation, adhesives, and other materials will be devoid of toxic materials, such as volatile organic components. Restrooms will be equipped with low-flow toilets and fixtures. Water fountains will have bottle fillers.
Acoustics in a multi-theater building are critical. The walls, ceilings and floor materials as well as wall coverings and upholstery affect how much sound is bouncing off and reverberating. “Acoustics are a huge part of the design, and there will be some spots where material will be both thermal and acoustic,” says John. “We are making sure that, where it’s appropriate, they can do double duty without compromising the performance of either.” And while laser projectors emit some heat, that heat can be captured and reused before it’s vented from the building.
The entire film center, including its systems and café equipment, will be electrified, which means no natural gas or fossil fuel will be used. Also, mechanical systems will be highly efficient to reduce energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
“Traditional construction is very durable, and that’s something we’re looking for as well,” notes John. “We want a building that is well built, is going to age well, and uses materials that are going to last a long time.”
While the timeline for construction is dependent on fundraising and permit approvals, the center hopes to begin the build-out next summer, with a targeted opening in winter 2028-2029.
