A Midcentury Double Feature: Dekker House & Fox Winrock Theater

Midcentury Design and Dekker Connection

While doing some Albuquerque midcentury modern architecture research recently, I learned of the original Fox Winrock Theater (1963-1986). Compared to its later iterations the current Regal Winrock (2013-present) and the previous UA Winrock 6 (1986-1992), the Fox Winrock stood out for its midcentury grandeur and landmark status.

The design of the Fox Winrock was a partnership between architects Richard Crowther of Denver, CO and Art Dekker here in Albuquerque. Mr. Crowther was an internationally recognized architect and author known for his innovations in holistic and solar architecture. Mr. Dekker was still early in his career, but later became a renowned architect and engineer who designed over 1,000 homes, churches and other buildings during his 40-year career. Mr. Dekker is also architect and original owner of my home (Dekker House, 1965).

Fox Winrock: The Original...and Grandest of Them All

In January 1962, plans were announced for a brand-new single screen $1-million theater at the still relatively new Winrock Center. The theater would be the first built in the city in over 20 years, it would seat 850 and would feature state-of-the art equipment. The theater would be of a ‘contemporary design, with a southwestern flavor.’ The available black and white photos show the midcentury architectural elements, though it’s a bit harder to identify the ‘southwestern flavor.’ Perhaps some of that showed up indoors on the floor tile and color scheme. Below is a rendering of the exterior of the Fox Winrock.

Fox Winrock included a luxurious lounge area (below) with a large custom-built sofa, a well-appointed foyer and concession area with design elements common during the midcentury period.

Interestingly, the theater also included a playroom and nursery (seen below), which was supervised by a registered nurse. Note how the same vertical slats of wood design is carried over into the playroom as well.

Apparently, the adjacent Winrock Shopping Center also promoted this child care option as a perk of shopping at the Center---basically, drop off the kids here and shop away to your heart's desire. Plenty of shoppers seen below near the entrance to Winrock Shopping Center around the same era of Fox Theater's opening.

Fox Winrock Opens to Great Fanfare

The highly anticipated new Fox Winrock Theater would open its doors on May 28, 1963 with a Grand Opening and Gala Benefit Event. Below are some of the advertised festivities, including movie stars of the time, music, and airing of events on local TV.

The first movie screened during this grand opening was Lawrence of Arabia.and tickets to attend this special screening and fundraiser cost $5 per person ($53 in today's dollars).

Lawrence of Arabia follows T. E. Lawrence, a British officer who unites rival Arab tribes during World War I to revolt against Ottoman rule while struggling with identity, power, and the costs of leadership. Lawrence of Arabia was hugely successful, winning seven Oscars (including Best Picture) and becoming a cinematic landmark, celebrated for its visuals, storytelling, and iconic performances, while also sparking discussions about identity and colonialism.

Something that I found quaint was that you could purchase tickets for events and movies at the Fox by cutting out a small form from the newspaper movie page and mail it in with your information and payment. It's hard for me to imagine planning that far ahead to watch a movie, being accustomed now to just buying our movie tickets on an app on our way to the theater.

Fox Winrock's Future

In 1964, it was ‘twinned’ which just means the large screen and auditorium were split into two separate theater screens. At this time, it was also re-branded as a Cinerama Theater (below).This historic building functioned as a theater for 23 years, but closed its doors for good in 1986 and was demolished seven years later.

Since I didn't grow up in Albuquerque and only visited periodically as a kid and young adult, I don't even recall seeing the Fox Winrock building before it was demolished in 1993. However, caring about architecture and historic buildings was probably not forefront of mind during that time of my life. Boomboxes, parachute pants, and cassettes, that could be purchased at the shopping center, on the other hand...

What Could Have Been...and What Still Is!

Though the theater technology has evolved immensely and the current Winrock Regal Cinemas seat 3,000 (compared to Fox's 850), one can't help but long for the architectural beauty of the Fox and the excitement and luster it brought to 1960's Albuquerque. Imagine what a treasure the building would be today, perhaps a cool midcentury modern space with restaurant, lounge, and community gathering space that paid homage to Albuquerque's under-appreciated midcentury modern architectural history.

Winrock Theaters through the decades (below)

Though the Fox Winrock has slipped into the realm of memory, the mid-1960s Dekker House still stands with quiet pride in this high-desert city. It's tucked away in a quiet neighborhood with a handful of other mid-mod beauties. I, for one, am grateful for its enduring presence—and deeply honored to serve not only as its current owner, but more importantly as its curator and steward.

Most of the information included here was sourced from photos and newspaper clippings meticulously archived at Cinema Treasures. Thank you to all the contributors!