Signs of the Times - October 2013 - (Page 30)
STRICTLY ELECTRIC
Fernando Duarte is principal of Duarte Design
(Sacramento, CA).
By Fernando Duarte
Rebuilding History
Duarte Design and Alpha Architectural Signs recreate an L.A. theatre marquee.
F
or 25 years, my firm has built
or refurbished marquees at historic
movie theaters and building sites
across the West Coast. Our first was
Berkeley, CA’s Shattuck Theatre,
which was new construction inside
Berkeley’s historic Shattuck Hotel.
Since then, most of our movietheater work has revolved around
renovations. Movie theaters shot
up across the country in the 1920s
and 1930s to meet the burgeoning
demand for moviehouses to feature
“talkies.”
During that era, theaters weren’t
just a place to see feature-length
movies: reels depicting the news of
the world were shown to audiences,
and numerous short films – almost
nonexistent to U.S. moviegoers
today – also entertained viewers.
Crowds didn’t just come to theaters
to watch a movie; they came for an
experience. We’re proud to play a
role in recreating a key facet of the
Golden Age of Cinema.
This article outlines some details
of our general design and production
process, and focuses on a renovation
Duarte’s rendering for the marquee makeover. He begins his process with hand
sketches, which he scans into vector art
using Adobe Photoshop and CorelDRAW.
The vertical pylon in the center of the
trapezoidal marquee adds visual impact.
Alpha Architectural Signs and Duarte Design, both of Sacramento, collaborated on the
rebuilding of Beverly Hills’ Saban Theatre. It was originally known as the Fox Wilshire,
but was given new life after Temple Shalom of the Arts, a Los Angeles synagogue, bought
the facility with the intent of complementing its use as a house of worship with concerts
and special-event rentals.
project we completed for the Saban
Theatre, formerly known as the Fox
Wilshire Theatre.
Know your history
The Fox Wilshire, which opened in
1930 in Beverly Hills, was an Art
Deco showpiece that included
residential, commercial and office
space. Renowned architect S. Charles
Lee, who would eventually design
400 theatres, crafted the concept.
According to a theatre history
published on www.laconservancy.org,
the Fox Wilshire “featured strong
geometric forms, stylized plant and
The Fox Wilshire’s original marquee, as it appeared in 1930. Its elegance reflects
cinema’s Golden Age. However, in the 1950s, to enhance visibility, the theater’s
management group transformed its shape from a rectangle to a trapezoid.
30 SIGNS OF THE TIMES / OCTOBER 2013 / www.signweb.com
http://www.laconservancy.org
http://www.signweb.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Signs of the Times - October 2013
Signs of the Times - October 2013
Contents
ST Update
Technology Update
Vinyl Apps
Strictly Electric
LED Update
Software Update
Technology Review - Mimaki’s JFX500-2131 flatbed and UJV500-160 UV printers
Technology Review - Seiko’s UV Jetrix 1212FK and KX5/KX5R flatbed printers
New Products
Rollin’ for the Lucky Seven!
The Inaugural Readers’ Choice Awards
Smart Lighting
The SGIA Preview
Industry News
Enter the ST Intl. Sign Contest!
Advertising index
Editorially speaking
Signs of the Times - October 2013
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