Theatre Design & Technology - Oct 1973 - 8

Fig. 3.

Photo Bv Der Scutt

Escalator and Stairway to Grand Foyer.

In leaving the arcade street level lobby (Fig. 3), one of
the most dramatic and long escalator rides in New York
City awaits the theatregoer. Rising on each side of the
grand stair by escalator, one passes decorative wall lights
arranged in concentric circles. The sparkle and glitter provide a pleasant tingle of anticipation.
The grand foyer (see cover) which faces Times Square is
an enormous "Corbusian" space with exploding vistas and
changing levels, yet it is deceptively casual in nature. It is
like being in a giant, unfussed-but grandiose-sculpture.
The vigorous architectural forms and intersecting planes
which reflect the exterior architecture were conceived to
excite the theatregoer and heighten the procession to the
theatre as an event in itself. The pleasure of anticipating
the theatrical performance is expanded.
Because of a severely limited budget and our conviction that richness can be created by surface treatment,
decor was limited to simple materials. Carpet and vinyl
covered walls and floors, in tones of gold and white, and
shades of charcoal gray provide contrasting accents. In ou r
early design sketches we studied various lighting solutions
and chose the small, clear exposed filament G-Iamp as the
general lighting source for all foyer levels because of its
theatrical appearance and subservient character with relation to architecture. The pattern of lamps was arranged to
reflect and follow the architectural form as well as to de-

fine each plane. We attempted to create spatially exciting
architecture, and the lighting could in no way be detrimental to that concept. Our suggested lighting concept
was immediately accepted by the consultants.
Additional views (Figs. 4 & 5) reveal an environment
dedicated to the theatregoer who, for the first time in any
Broadway theatre, will be able to look out on Times
Square-and in turn be seen by thousands of pedestrians
on Broadway. The crossovers and bridge-balconies provide
an unparalleled promenade for theatre admirers for a long
time to come. The design of the theatre itself (Fig. 6)
extends the architectural concept of simplicity, using
crisp clean unadorned planes and forms. Martin Aronstein,
our theatre lighting consultant, helped establish the architectural shapes in his placement of locations for wall and
ceiling lighting coves. This reflects the process of planning
referred to in the opening comments. Arch itecture is more
than facadism. It is rationally and tangibly providing
shelter for the function, in th is case a theatre.
Early in the design development, the Kahn and Jacobs
design staff decided that wall wash lighting (Fig. 7) of the
rear wall on both orchestra and mezzanine levels would
reduce the sensory deprivation of the theatregoer sitting
in the last row. Lighting the gold vinyl wall behind the last
row provides them with the sensual reality of not being
forgotten and, in fact, of being included. Additionally, it

THEATRE DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

OCTOBER. 1973

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