How to save a theatre: the Orpheum, Vancouver

The article is a case study that concerns itself with the protection of a historic theatre in Vancouver, and its subsequent restoration and conservation of the structure. The theatre, the Orpheum, is a theatre designed by a Scottish architect by the name of Marcus Pristeca at the behest of Joseph Langer, a prominent developer and theatre owner. The theatre was designed in Seattle and built in Vancouver in 1927. The original use for the theatre was for vaudeville performances and was considered the \“movie place\”. The theatre was originally used to play low-cost vaudeville performances and likewise low-budget movies for the working class people of Vancouver. In the 1970s the building was scheduled for demolition however there was public outcry for the city to save the building and city ended up purchasing the building. In the discussion and conclusion section of the article the author presents his interpretation that \“perceived heritage\” played a large role in the decision to save the building from demolition. The social and environmental contributions of a building help shape what the public views as \“real\” reasons for preserving a building. For the purpose of this assignment I have chosen to focus my summary of the article on information pertaining specifically to heritage conservation rather than architecture and technical revitalization techniques. The article also goes into the background of the Scottish architect, Marcus Pristeca and also the specific revitalization techniques and materials used to restore the building.