Originally built in 1932, the Southampton Playhouse has been thoughtfully renovated to enhance the customer experience with a modern and minimal design. The updated theater now features four immersive rooms, each one uniquely colored, with coordinated architectural finishes and lighting that fully envelop guests in a vibrant, sensory experience. The cinema accommodates seating for 983 patrons and is anchored by a historically registered façade and marquee from the 1980s.
The Lighting Practice designed color immersion rooms where lighting and furniture finishes are unified, drawing inspiration from Olafur Eliasson’s immersive monochromatic approach in Room for One Colour (1997). Matching room finishes to the lighting color is essential for achieving optimal color saturation. Programmable LED lights use the full color spectrum to enhance the spatial experience within the theater. All cinemas are equipped with RGBW color-changing lights and theatrical-grade lighting controls, allowing for seamless integration with audio and projection systems to synchronize lights, sound, and visuals. Cinema 3 includes theatrical lighting to support film screenings with live director discussions, while Cinema 4 features flexible seating and theatrical lighting, allowing the space to be reconfigured for various events. TLP’s scope includes aisle lighting throughout the building’s interior, all four cinemas, the marquee, lobby, entries and exits, bookstore, restrooms, projection room, driveway, and surface parking areas.