Heritage colours are more than mere paint on buildings. Colour has a language of its own. Blues and greens evoke calm and security. Red or black can provoke strong emotional reactions. The colours we choose for our interiors can be very personal. The colours we select for the outside of our buildings can influence our community, culture and history.
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The Columbia/Raymond Burr Theatre, New Westminster BC. Archival photo, circa 1927.
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Detail of architectural panel with diamond motif accentuated with a rope design. Test squares for ascertaining original colours of theatre.
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Present day image of diamond panel with heritage colours.
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Our exterior environment is constantly changing. Renovations or modifying a building’s use can affect its appearance and historic style. An example of architectural change is The Columbia, renamed the Raymond Burr Theatre in New Westminster, British Columbia. Built in 1927, this atmospheric theatre was a venue for vaudeville, plays and a variety of other uses. Several alterations to the building are visible. The exterior’s upper façade retains its original Moorish theme with its textured walls, carved stone pilasters and decorative frieze. A pair of large panels with diamond designs is at its centre. At each end of the façade is a door with ornamental ironwork and balconies.
Thick coatings of paint, grime, stains, water damage and corrosion obscure the theatre’s original colours and architectural motifs. As part of a recent maintenance project, the theatre’s upper façade was to be cleaned and repainted.
In preparation, I investigated numerous areas on the wall, panels, doors and ironwork. Using microscopic examination, a custom solvent solution and a scalpel, many layers of paint were thinned off. A map of the original colours and overall design was revealed. Individually testing the diamond panels uncovered the alternate use of dark green and sap green for the design. Golden braided rope and rosettes outlined the diamond shapes, and colourful borders further defined the panels.
Samples of the original paint were forwarded to Lorne Friedenstab, a Benjamin Moore colour specialist to recreate the colours. Together with Architect, Eric Patterson, an onsite mock up tested the new paint as a final stage of the colour selection.
Research and planning rediscovered the colours and their historic placement to regain a part of this theatre’s visual heritage.
