ICON Theater Architecture Comments

7/28/2019 ICON Theater Architecture Comments

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1. The building is too boxy, heavy, suburban, and too reminiscent of the FBIbuilding (the massively heavy overhang aboe the entrance). Consider addingcurves, more height and material weight variations, and more break-downs of thefaade. At present, it looks like a giant stainless cube and makes ZEROattempt to relate or respect the DC Water pumping station next door.

Nothing about this says anything about the Navy Yard neighborhood. This boxcould be located anywhere. Believe me, we LOVE modern just not suburbanmodern. Needs some character, badly because right now it looks like its in themiddle of a huge parking lot in Loudoun County.

Our ask: break up the massing of the building using a variety of materials, greenwalls, and lighting features. It doesnt have to look so square and flat.


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2. We like modern but right now there is WAY too much silver colored metal.We encourage you to incorporate more industrial and natural materials: steal,wood, glass, concrete. This lends a human scale, relatability, and sense ofcloseness to the river that is completely missing from current designs.


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3. Replace light panels with Green Walls. We have had nothing but badexperiences with light panels and light features in this neighborhood. Not to lumpyou all in with that but these panels looks tacked on. Would MUCH rather seesome awesome green walls on this building to hide and add visual interest to thebulk of the building. A mix of lighting elements and green walls could be

interesting as well if executed in a way that looks meaningful.


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4. Also, re: light panels if keep them At All please consider transferring theirplacement so MORE are on the pedestrian level. Theyre no fun if you cant standin front of a bunch of them and take pictures. (Also consider making panelssmaller so they can reflect more colors.)


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5. Consider adding signage that screams movie theater and that will be iconic(no pun intended) for years to come.


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6. The retail spaces should be better defined, not just part of the same hugemass of the building. Also, consider adding retail on 1 Street SE. We shouldnot be losing the game to Angelika Film Center in Fairfax County.


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(Angelika Film Center in the Mosaic District)


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7. Move vehicle entrances and exist to the south and east faces of the building,away from the primary pedestrian sides of the building. Besides security, westill have not heard good arguments for why this is not already happening.

We would also like to know why there are two parking entrances, instead of just

one. The parking entrance on 1 Street seems especially unfortunate, as that isthe main pedestrian drag to Diamond Teague Park and the river.

8. Also, re: parking. There is concern that this building will be overparked. Somuch of the bulk of this building is parking and, knowing what happened at DCUSA, there is a fear that the spaces will sit empty and money that could havegone to other more visible improvements will go to what amounts to a giantwindowless parking structure.


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9. Landscaping and hardscaping around the building should be diverse andinteresting not just plaza . Show us something we havent seen before.Again, right now Angelika is winning this game.

ICON Theater Architecture Comments

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