1260 Sixth Avenue (aka Avenue of the Americas), NY, NY
Built in 1932, Photographed in 2010
Radio City Music hall is the corner stone of the Rockefeller Center office complex buildings on 50th
street and 6th avenue. This really is the showcased jewels of the center, and the classic example of Art
deco style. It is the largest theatre in town.
The interior was declared a city landmark in 1978. It was was designed by Donald Deskey, who won
the competition. He designed over 30 spaces inside the theatre including 8 lounges, smoking rooms, and
etc. Each room has its own theme, and he worked with all manners of different artists. A lot of them, by
the way, were recommended by John D. Rockefeller, Jr.'s wife, Abby, who just had opened the
Museum of Modern Art. Some of the artists designed some of the pieces that ended up in the Radio City.
One of them, who didn't, but who had signed a contract, was Georgia O'Kieff. She was all ready to go,
and was going to design a mural in a lady's room. However, at that time, she was becoming a very well
known artist, and her husband, who was a little bit of controller, thought she wasn't getting enough
money, and demanded 3 times as much money. Eventually by the time they had it all sorted out, because
she really wanted to do it, she had no time to finish it. She went in, started it, and left with having a
nervous breakdown and quit.
Donald Deskey, in his later career, took a chance and started a graphic design firm and designed some of
the most recognizable icons of the American domestic products, such as the Crest toothpaste, the Tide
bullseye, Jif peanut butter, and Pampers disposable diapers.
Reference
-The Bowery Boys: New York City History
To view more photos of the interior of the building, visit my flickr slideshow, or thumbnails.
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