Auckland Art Deco
Detail section of the decorative plasterwork on the unique Civic Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand. This amazing plasterwork was the work of Arnold Zimmerman, a swiss born decorator and scenic artist who arrived in Sydney, Australia in 1923.
Designed by architects Charles Bohringer and William T. Leighton, the Civic opened on 20 December 1929 and is a famous example of the 'atmospheric theatre style' wherein lighting and interior design create the illusion of an open sky complete with twinkling stars - this gives the audience the impression of being seated in an outdoor auditorium at night.
Constructed of reinforced concrete, the theatre contained numerous innovations including a Wintergarden in the basement, a rising ‘gondola’ orchestra pit and the second largest Wurlitzer Organ in the Southern Hemisphere.
The theatre also gained some fame when it was used in Peter Jackson's 2005 remake of King Kong, standing in for a New York theatre called The Alhambra.
© All rights reserved.
Auckland Art Deco
Detail section of the decorative plasterwork on the unique Civic Theatre, Auckland, New Zealand. This amazing plasterwork was the work of Arnold Zimmerman, a swiss born decorator and scenic artist who arrived in Sydney, Australia in 1923.
Designed by architects Charles Bohringer and William T. Leighton, the Civic opened on 20 December 1929 and is a famous example of the 'atmospheric theatre style' wherein lighting and interior design create the illusion of an open sky complete with twinkling stars - this gives the audience the impression of being seated in an outdoor auditorium at night.
Constructed of reinforced concrete, the theatre contained numerous innovations including a Wintergarden in the basement, a rising ‘gondola’ orchestra pit and the second largest Wurlitzer Organ in the Southern Hemisphere.
The theatre also gained some fame when it was used in Peter Jackson's 2005 remake of King Kong, standing in for a New York theatre called The Alhambra.
© All rights reserved.