Cinéma Le Plaza

Cinéma Le Plaza is a landmark cinema in Geneva, Switzerland, designed by the Swiss architect Marc-Joseph Saugey and inaugurated in November 1952. With 1,250 seats, it was the largest cinema in Geneva and one of the largest in Switzerland at the time of its opening. The building is part of the Mont-Blanc Centre complex, a unique post-war urban project by Saugey built between 1951 and 1953. The Plaza was the first of three avant-garde cinemas—along with Le Paris and Le Star—that Saugey, a cinema and technology enthusiast, designed in Geneva, a city that was a pioneer in cinematography at the time of the 1896 National Exhibition. The cinema closed in 2004 due to changing consumer habits and was slated for demolition in 2018. In 2019, following a citizen mobilization, the Fondation Hans Wilsdorf announced the purchase of the building. The Conseil d'État classified the building as a historic monument at the end of 2019. The Fondation Le Plaza was created in 2020 to carry out the restoration project, which began in 2023. On 19 August 2023, shortly after work began, a fire broke out on the roof and destroyed part of the roof structure, without causing injuries. The completion of the works is planned for 2026. During the renovation, various artistic and cultural projects took place at the Plaza. The transformed venue, called Le Plaza Centre Cinéma, will feature the restored historic film auditorium, a small film auditorium, an immersive room, exhibition spaces, a bookstore-shop, a restaurant (Brasserie Europe), a bar (Bar-Glacier), and a cinema-hotel with 17 rooms equipped with projectors. The New Plaza is envisioned as a pop culture–focused cultural center—an ecosystem of connected experiences bringing together film, gastronomy, comics, video games, cine-concerts, and gaming nights. The project is led by the Fondation Le Plaza, with the building owned by the Fondation Hans Wilsdorf. The cinema is currently undergoing renovation and is scheduled to reopen soon.

Cinéma Le Plaza was inaugurated and opened to the public in November 1952. The event took on a historic dimension: it was the first of three avant-garde cinemas—along with Le Paris and Le Star—that Marc J. Saugey, who was passionate about cinema and technological innovations, designed in Geneva, itself a pioneering city in cinematography at the time of the 1896 National Exhibition. The building was part of the Mont-Blanc Centre complex, a unique urban project by Saugey built between 1951 and 1953. With 1,250 seats, it was the largest cinema in Geneva and one of the largest in Switzerland at its opening. One of the Plaza's singularities, both technically and aesthetically, lies in the structure of the cinema auditorium. The cinema closed in 2004 due to changes in the population's consumption habits. It was slated for demolition in 2018. In 2019, following a citizen mobilization, the Fondation Hans Wilsdorf announced the purchase of the building. The Conseil d'État classified the building in the register of historic monuments at the end of 2019. The Fondation Le Plaza was created in 2020 to lead the restoration project, which began in 2023. On 19 August 2023, shortly after the start of the works, a fire broke out on the roof and destroyed part of the roof structure, without causing any injuries. The end of the works is planned for 2026. During the renovation, various artistic and cultural projects took place at the Plaza, including exhibitions, film screenings, and performances. The transformed venue, called Le Plaza Centre Cinéma, will feature the restored historic film auditorium, a small film auditorium, an immersive room, exhibition spaces, a bookstore-shop, a restaurant (Brasserie Europe), a bar (Bar-Glacier), and a cinema-hotel with 17 rooms equipped with projectors. The New Plaza is envisioned as a pop culture–focused cultural center—an ecosystem of connected experiences bringing together film, gastronomy, comics, video games, cine-concerts, and gaming nights. The project is led by the Fondation Le Plaza, with the building owned by the Fondation Hans Wilsdorf. The cinema is currently undergoing renovation and is scheduled to reopen soon.

• Cinéma Le Plaza inaugurated and opened to the public in Geneva.

• The cinema closes due to changes in consumption habits.

• The building is slated for demolition.

• Following a citizen mobilization, the Fondation Hans Wilsdorf announces the purchase of the building.

• The Conseil d'État classifies the building as a historic monument.

• The Fondation Le Plaza is created to lead the restoration project.

• Christian Marclay's 'The Clock' is shown at the Plaza.

• Le Plaza opens its doors for 'A Journey Through Cinema with Mark Cousins'.

• Restoration work begins.

• A fire breaks out on the roof, destroying part of the roof structure; no injuries.

• Completion of the restoration works is planned.

A historic cinema transformed into a pop culture–focused cultural complex, combining film, gastronomy, comics, video games, cine-concerts, and gaming nights.

• The Historic Film Auditorium

  The restored main cinema theatre.

• The Small Film Auditorium

  A smaller screening room.

• The Immersive Room

  An immersive experience space.

• Exhibition spaces

  Spaces for art and cultural exhibitions.

• The Plaza Cinema-Hotel

  17 rooms equipped with a projector and an exclusive programme.

• Brasserie Europe

  A restaurant open 7 days a week from morning until evening.

• Bar-Glacier

  A bar within the complex.

1. 1Cinema Plaza Geneva - The Plaza Foundationleplaza-cinema.ch
2. 2Architecture et rénovation - Marc J. Saugey - Fondation Le Plazaleplaza-cinema.ch
3. 3History of the cinema Plaza Geneva - The Plaza Foundationleplaza-cinema.ch
4. 4A JOURNEY THROUGH CINEMA WITH MARK COUSINS - EVENTleplaza-cinema.ch
5. 5Cinéma Le Plazawikidata.org
6. 6Cinéma Plaza - Genèvefr.wikipedia.org