Vancouver International Film Centre
Cinema and Multipurpose Spaces
The Project
Launched in 1982, the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) has grown to become an internationally acclaimed showcase of exceptional arthouse cinema. The annual festival — operated by the Vancouver International Film Festival Society — gained a permanent home in 2005 with the completion of the Vancouver International Film Centre. The Centre provides year-round festival-style programming while also hosting many smaller film events.
Since its construction in downtown Vancouver, the Centre has become the hub of the city’s film community. The Society now hosts receptions, presentations, industry functions, specialized art and music events and more film screenings than ever.
The building has struggled to accommodate surging demand for the variety of events the Society now hosts. Between its own screenings and facility rentals, the Centre appeared to have reached capacity and hit a ceiling on its revenue generation and growth.
The Challenge
The Society identified the building’s limitations and sought to imagine what a newly renovated Centre might look like. They needed help establishing a process to conceptualize the new design. They also needed to evaluate the feasibility of various paths forward and identify the funding and revenue possibilities a renovation might enable.
Chroma was engaged early in the planning process for this project. The task called for deeper strategic thinking than a typical AV design project.
We synthesized a number of ideas for how the renovation might take shape. First, we made a business case for each option. Then we compared these against other local arts organizations and independent cinemas across North America to compare their experiences. Next, we engaged an architect to test if our ideas would fit the physical space.
Through our feasibility work, it became clear the best path forward was to create a second screening room and use AV technology to activate under-used multipurpose spaces.
Beyond audiovisual systems design, Chroma also acted as the Society’s project manager for the renovation. We led an executive committee of senior managers to make decisions and guide the process along.
The Result
In 2021, the VIFF unveiled its renovated Centre on schedule for the annual festival. With Chroma’s guidance, it had added
- A 40-seat cinema that increased screening capacity by 20%.
- A nine-foot video wall allowing them to share news and trailers with both their patrons and foot traffic on the street.
- Multi-purpose spaces that accommodate the Society’s evolving mandate and drive facility rental revenue.
If you’d like to learn more about how audiovisual planning, design, and implementation can help achieve your goals for your commercial project, contact Chroma today.
Location
Vancouver International Film Centre
Project Team
Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects + Designers MCW Consultants Ltd., Turner Construction
Completion Date
2021
Services Provided
 |
Audio Visual Systems, Owner's Project Manager |
 |
Procurement |
 |
Construction Administration, Commissioning |