Reviving Broadway Theatre - From Silver Screen to Food Carnival

Project idea

Adaptive reuse of the historic Broadway Theatre in Chennai, transforming it from an abandoned cinema into a food carnival while preserving its heritage character and Art Deco architectural features.

Project description

Broadway Theatre in Chennai, located on the historic Broadway Road in George Town, was a popular cinema inaugurated in the 1920s known for screening classic Tamil films. The theatre closed in the 2010s, though the building still stands as a relic of the city's cinematic past. The project proposes adaptive reuse justified by its heritage value, structural stability, location, economic viability, cultural value, accessibility, and preservation integrity. The existing building features Art Deco style with a symmetrical facade, red brick masonry, rectilinear planning, Madras terrace roof, and minimal ornamentation. A condition mapping exercise identified areas in poor, fair, and good condition throughout the structure.

Technical information

Defects identified include roof tile displacement, rafter decay, brick masonry erosion at plinth, plaster peeling and wall cracks, vegetation growth, and roof steel truss corrosion. Conservative solutions proposed include replacement of rafters with steel and reinstalment of usable Mangalore clay tiles, replastering using lime mortar with breathable lime wash finish, removing roots and repointing joints with lime mortar, cleaning rust and applying anti-corrosive paint while replacing weak parts, retaining walls with replaster of lime mortar, and replacement of steel truss roofing with corrugated sheet replaced by puff panel for insulation and acoustic performance. The site is accessible via Mannadi Metro (700m), Royapuram Suburban station (1.5km), Broadway Bus Stand (1.6km), and Central Railway Junction (3km).

Documentation

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