United Artist Theaters, San Francisco, CA
United Artist had selected BSA as their Northern California theater designers within the San Francisco area.
Three of the projects that Gerard Lee worked on as designer were the New Mission St. theater
(an urban infill project), One Beach St. (remodel), and the proposed new United Artist @ Stonestown Galleria
which was meant to be the Stone town’s mall new anchor.
All three projects were in conceptual design and United Artist was extremely pleased with the designs.
The designs were bold and innovative and at that time far ahead of most other theaters or cineplexes.
Due to unforeseen circumstances United Artist was unable to continue with their theater projects.
These projects remain unbuilt but represent ideas and innovations that were ahead of their time in
theater design.
At the Stonestown Galleria new United Artist Theater, the design called for an IMAX theater and approximately 12 theaters with stadium seating.
Because the theaters had to be intergrated with the floors of the existing mall, it created a spacious atrium.
This space became a focal point whereby escalators with translucent panels weaved their way up through the space.
Multiple old style projectors would project images on the layered curving ceiling panels, creating a symphony of light
and colors, emphasizing the concession stands of the theater. While many of these features are now prevalent in todays larger cineplexes,
in 1997, it was ahead of the curve.
At the New Mission theaters, the main atrium had a futuristic space frame spanning it's length. A globe-like element back-lit with
previews of the latest movie releases would penetrate through the space frame and roof. Creating the United Artist theater blade signage and an interior
video wall at the same time.
These while unbuilt, represent innovations that anticipated the future.
This is a BSA Architects project.
