More recently, Rockwell Group returned to Madison Square to rethink the basement level after the space flooded in spring 2021. It had previously contained a large conference room, a broadcast booth, a library, and a small, 47-seat theater and was a bit of an afterthought, says David Rockwell, firm founder, of the floor’s earlier iteration and its theater. NeueHouse wanted, says the architect, a larger theater, elevated projection and sound systems, and a space that could be better “activated for films, talks, and performances.”

Touches of gold—on the furnishings, a metal screen at the bar, and throughout the revamped space—reflect the low but warm illumination. Photo © Jason Varney, click to enlarge.

The chief design challenge, according to Rockwell, was to transform the basement into a “destination.” The low-ceilinged space, devoid of daylight, would require a completely different approach from the strategy used on the floors above. Instead of an industrial-chic vibe, the new cinema level exudes the ambience of a swanky after-hours club. For instance, in the bar and lounge area surrounding the new screening room, the ceiling and its tangle of pipes, ducts, and conduit, have been painted dark green to make them less conspicuous. For the space below this virtual horizontal plane, the design team chose rich, earthy hues, such as claret, rust, and mustard. The palette is used for the walls, the carpeting, and for velvet-upholstered seating that includes love seats, armchairs, and banquettes, some inserted into cozy nooks. Tables of different shapes and sizes are topped in various types of marble. Touches of gold, which reflect the dim but warm illumination, are found here and there, and on a soffit over the bar resembling the marquis of an old-time movie palace. The only surface that remains unadorned is a swath of polished concrete floor that cuts a circulation path through the lounge space to the theater.

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A swath of polished concrete floor cuts a path through the lounge (1), past the bar (2), to the theater. Photos © Jason Varney

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The treatment of the theater itself, now with 90 seats, is nearly monochromatic. It is entirely rendered in sage green, except for a few wood accents. The plush seating, upholstered in velvet, like the furniture in the lounge area, is mostly tiered, as in a commercial movie theater. The front row, however, features modular sofas that can be removed or reconfigured, as event requirements dictate. Directly accessible from the theater is a greenroom with a long marble table that can be separated into three tables, allowing the space to double as a conference room or a place to host a dinner.

A greenroom can also host meetings or receptions. Photo © Jason Varney

Among the events held at the revamped cinema since its completion earlier this year was a preview of the Amy Winehouse biopic Back to Black, in May, and a prescreening of Keith Robinson’s new Netflix comedy special, Different Strokes, in June. This writer attended a directors’ talk and sneak peek at two films set to premier later this month in Philadelphia at BlackStar, a festival showcasing the work of Black, Brown, and Indigenous filmmakers. The pre-event reception had a definite red-carpet energy, with audience members chatting over cocktails in the lounge and a photographer milling about.

Rockwell says his inspiration for the new cinema level was 1960s Italian movie houses. He has clearly created a space that is smart, intimate, and that hints at the glamour of some recently bygone era. If that is what a ’60s Italian movie house was like, he has hit the nail on the head.

Click plan to enlarge