Austin Film Society Announces Design Firm Partnership

Austin Film Society has partnered with design firm Designtrait and architect Michael Hsu to turn the Marchesa building into a fulltime arthouse cinema with a distinct “Austin-vibe” (according to the press release). The renovations will feature a second cinema and a redesigned lounge and bar. The shiny, new theatre is scheduled to open in early 2017.

“The ultimate goal for the design of the theatre is to create a setting that complements the vision of an arthouse theatre: a hub for the vibrant arts community to share the film experience and engage with each other,” said Michael Hsu in an AFS press release. Hsu’s past projects in Austin include the South Congress Hotel and the design for P. Terry’s.

AFS announced its plans to open an arthouse cinema in March and has raised more than $1.5 million to fund the expansion. The organization hopes to raise the final $600,000 this fall through a combination of community support and an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign.

Linklater called the prospect of a full-time arthouse theatre “a dream come true” in the original announcement. The new twin-screen cinema is a major step forward for AFS and will allow it to grow its already prodigious international and arthouse film programming. The updated event hall will also enable the organization to host a wider range of special events and premieres.

The current AFS Cinema will close at the end of October.