Washington, DC

People/Products

History, if left forgotten, can fall perilously to the wayside. Such was the fate of the Washington, D.C. landmark Atlas Theater Cinema until a foundation sought to transform the former 1930’s movie house and adjoining vacant storefronts into a new, state-of-the-art 58,000-square-foot performing arts facility.  The architect combined five structures through a four-year, extensive adaptive reuse and renovation that carefully preserved key historical elements and brought new life to the street front of a once bleak and neglected corridor.

A complex program called for two state-of-the-art theaters, including a 280-fixed-seat space and a 250-person flexible-seat black box, each with computerized lighting and sound equipment control rooms. Additionally, the foundation wanted three dance studios, two lab theaters, a production shop and administrative support spaces, all within the original site footprint and an extremely tight construction budget of $20 million.

Throughout the main level public space, materials, color, balance, scale, texture, and pattern are blended to create welcoming, comfortable, contemporary, and vibrant spaces. Cost effective, durable, and interesting products such as carved MDF wall treatments and architectural mesh is utilized for impact, ease of maintenance, and harmony between the existing and new finishes. Lighting design was orchestrated to highlight the architectural and interior design elements, and unique sculptural shadow signage for the two large theater spaces adds drama and distinction to guide patrons through the space.

At every turn, history and contemporary design meld to create visual interest.  A former exterior alleyway brick wall was integrated as the interior wall in the promenade; the basement and office spaces are configured around exposed concrete footings with evidence of excavation. Original air return grilles from the movie house were painstakingly restored and mounted in the promenade hall, in contrast to the contemporary finishes and sweeping curves of the ceiling overhead.

Today, the H Street corridor is more often referred to as the “Atlas Arts District.”

People

Architect:

CORE Architecture + Design

1010 Wisconin Avenue NW, #405 

Washington, DC 20007

P: 202.466.6116

F: 202.466.6234

Web: coredc.com

 

Personnel in architect's firm: 

Dale A. Stewart, AIA, Project Principal, Team Lead;

Peter F. Hapstak, AIA, IIDA, ISP, Design Principal;

David Cheney, AIA, Project Manager;

Kathleen Claire Ngiam, Senior Designer;

Adriana Radulescu, Project Architect;

Brent Phister, Project Architect;

Monier Baraket, Project Architect

 

Interior designer:

CORE Architecture + Design

 

Lighting:

MCLA Inc.

Shen Milsom & Wilke, Inc. (acoustical)

 

Other: 

Set design:

Tony Cisek

Theatre Lighting:

Dan Covey

Theatre sound:

Scott Burgess

 

General contractor:

Tishman Construction Corporation of DC

1150 18th St. NW

Washington, DC 20036

 

Photographer:

Michael Moran Photography

P: 212.334.4543

 

Renderer:

CORE architecture + design

 

CAD system, project management, or other software used:

ArchiCAD

 

Products

Exterior Cladding

Masonry:

Historic preservation / restoration

 

Metal / glass curtainwall

Historic preservation / restoration

EIFS, ACM, or other:

Dryvit

Glass film:

Pointer Crosse

Marquis:

Fingles Metalworks, Inc.

Letterbox:

Belsinger Signs

 

Windows

Wood:

Historic preservation / restoration

Steel:

Historic preservation / restoration

Aluminum:

Historic preservation / restoration

 

Glazing

Glass:

Existing & repaired and refurbished / historic preservation / restoration

 

Doors

Entrances:

all doors and existing hardware was repaired and rebuilt.

 

Hardware

non-specific, various brands for all

 

Interior finishes

Acoustical ceilings:

Armstrong ceiling tiles (perforated metal in the soffit of Lang Theater);

Decoustics clouds in Great Hall with curved panels in Promenade.

Paints and stains:

Benjamin Moore Paints

Wall coverings:

Marotte Carved MDF panels for Great Hall; 

Cambridge architectural mesh at monumental stair.

Paneling:

custom

Floor and wall tile:

Granite Fiandre, Grey Ceramic w/ GSPAG Blue Accents and stainless steel in Great Hall / Promenade;

Daltile in bathrooms;

Innovative Stone, Black Quartz, on Monumental Stair;

2 layers of masonite for stage and dance studio floors.

Carpet:

Interface FLOR, Masland

 

Furnishings

Office furniture:

Custom-built workstations made of MDF with Wilson Art laminate with painted drywall dividers.

Reception furniture:

Frank Gehry for Heller

Fixed seating:

Series USA, NYC

Upholstery:

Maharam for theatre seating and acoustic wall panels in Lang Theater

 

Lighting:

Interior ambient lighting:

stock

Downlights:

Exterior:

Existing / rebuilt and repaired / Historic preservation

 

Conveyance

Elevators / Escalators

 

Plumbing

American Standard

 

Add any additional building components or special equipment that made a significant contribution to this project

Plaster Panels restoration:

Goldleaf Studios