Arquitecturas para el cine en Bogotá: centro, centralidades y periferia (1940 - 1980)

Abstract

In Europe, the phenomenon of cinema design and building began to gain traction between the First and Second World Wars, when most architecturally important projects were purpose-built for the exhibition of cinematography. In contrast, in Bogotá, the major construction boom for cinemas began in the late thirties and lasted into the mid-seventies, trailing about a decade or two behind the major European cities. This study analyzes the relationship between cinema and a city’s development process. The purpose is to understand the ways in which cinemas are designed, constructed and implemented into their surroundings, interacting with the downtown landscape, the new central locations of the cities, and the suburban periphery. Based on planimetric and photographic information of each period, some elements are presented in detail, showing the influence of the cinemas themselves on the identity of specific sectors of the city.