page_title: The Capitol, Melbourne
section_title: Construction
hierarchical_section_title: The Capitol, Melbourne / History / Construction
caption_attribution_description: English: Detail of the ceiling of the Capitol Theatre, Melbourne, showing the upper left corner. Only four of the many built-in ceiling lights are turned on, the primary lighting is an orange floodlight on the theatre floor at house left (though this photograph is in black and white).
context_page_description: The Capitol is an historic cinema located on Swanston Street in Melbourne, Australia. The theatre, part of the Capitol House building, designed by US born architect Walter Burley Griffin and his wife Marion Mahony Griffin, was opened in 1924, and is renowned for its illuminated geometric ceiling. The current cinema is only the upper part of the original, saved from demolition in the 1960s, when a shopping arcade replaced the ground level foyer and stalls area.
  The theatre was purchased in May 1999 by RMIT University for use as a lecture theatre, and between 2014-2019 it was extensively upgraded, and the famous ceiling restored with a new LED lighting system.
context_section_description: The Capitol Theatre was commissioned by a group of Melbourne businessmen, including the Greek Consul-General Anthony JJ Lucas and the US-born Phillips brothers who had previously developed Luna Park and the adjacent Palais Pictures. The architects were WB Griffin with Peck & Kempter, but the design     is attributed to US born Walter Burley Griffin and his wife, who was also an architect, Marion Mahony Griffin, known for her work on interiors.  Lucas had worked previously with the Griffins on the development of both the Vienna Cafe in 1916 and then his own property Yamala in Frankston, and the Phillips’ had worked with them on the c1920 interior of Palais de Danse, St Kilda. The official plans for the Capitol were submitted for approval on 21 November 1921, with approval granted on 9 February 1923, and construction completed in 1924. It was officially opened on 7 November 1924.The theatre was part of a larger a mixed-use complex, known as Capitol House, incorporating shops at ground level, a basement cafe, a 10 storey office tower perched above the lobbies, with the main part of the auditorium projecting out behind. The office tower is described as Chicagoesque style, with vertical proportions and a prominent cornice. The theatre itself was considered an architectural masterpiece, and quite unique.   
  It was described in the 1960s by the leading architect and academic Robin Boyd as "the best cinema that was ever built or is ever likely to be built".  
  The building is noted in the Victoria context for its unusual mixed uses, and for the structural design that allowed them to co-exist, as well as for the daring cantilever of the concrete street verandah, but it is the geometric plaster ceiling of the theatre auditorium that is the most outstanding feature. Composed of angular crystalline forms in molded plaster, it was based on organic design principles from 'the natural world' and are composed in a way which is both evocative of a glittering cave, while it is also distinctly modern. The ceiling plasterwork incorporated hidden lighting of about 4000 coloured globes in red, yellow, blue and green, which could be controlled from a central point to produce different effects, used on their own and in conjunction with the original orchestral scores in the early silent film era to add drama for the spectator.  
  The Capitol was also the home of the first large Wurlitzer Organ to come to Australia. The Wurlitzer was used to provide music and sound effects for the films, when the orchestra was not used. After "sound" films took over it was used for musical entertainment in between shows.
  It was frequently broadcast on the ABC and remained in regular use until the mid 1950s. Originally seating 2137 (stalls 1306, balcony 633, loges and boxes 198), it was altered during the 1930s, with the seating capacity reduced to 2115 people, and a wider proscenium.
  The Capitol is registered with the Australian Heritage Commission, the National Trust of Australia (Victoria) and Heritage Victoria.
caption: Ceiling detail
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