Plaza Theatre, Movie theater in Paddington, Australia
The Plaza Theatre sits at 163-169 Latrobe Terrace, combining cinema and retail in one building. The structure features a gable roof and masonry walls, with eight street-front shops forming part of its original design.
Richard Gailey Junior designed the cinema in 1929 for Greater Brisbane Motion Pictures Ltd, with John Hutchinson overseeing construction. It opened during the shift from silent to sound films, requiring rapid technical upgrades to its equipment.
The interior displays a vaulted ceiling painted in Reckitt's Blue and a Spanish-inspired proscenium arch that reflect the audience's taste for ornamental theater design. These decorative choices shaped how people experienced cinema during that era.
The building operates as a single level with straightforward layout and easy navigation for visitors. It now functions as an antiques center after ceasing cinema operations in 1961, serving a different commercial purpose today.
The original auditorium held around 1,250 seats across a single level. This generous capacity made it a major entertainment destination in Paddington during the height of cinema popularity.
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