Exhibit Critique: The Neon Museum
This perennially popular session examines the exhibition practices of a select institution, focusing this year on Las Vegas’s Neon Museum. The Museum, accessible by appointment only, includes a restored motel lobby typical of Las Vegas and a “Boneyard” of neon signs from iconic local attractions. Each sign in the collection has a unique story about who created it, what inspired it, where and when it was made, and how it fits into the development of Las Vegas. Much thought has been put into the curation of the Boneyard as the signs are placed to tell the city’s history through neon. Three professionals, the exhibit team, and the audience discuss this unusual visitor experience. Moderator: Redmond J. Barnett, Head of Exhibits, Washington State Historical Society Presenters: Robert Jay Chattel, AIA, President and Preservation Architect, Chattel, Inc. | Historic Preservation Consultants Cynthia Behr Warso, Education and Engagement Manager, Neon Museum Danielle Kelly, Executive Director, Neon Museum Rosalind Bedell, Consultant Christopher James Alexander, Assistant Curator of Architecture and Design, Getty Research Institute Katherine Whitney, Principle, Katherine Whitney & Associates
Empfohlen
Weitere ähnliche Inhalte
Mehr von West Muse
Mehr von West Muse (20)
Kürzlich hochgeladen
Kürzlich hochgeladen (20)
Exhibit Critique: The Neon Museum
- 2. HISTORY Nevada State Museum Nevada State Museum
- 3. HISTORY
- 6. DESIGN
- 7. DESIGN
- 8. DESIGN John Eng John Eng
- 9. DESIGN
Hinweis der Redaktion
- La Concha was built in 1961 on the Las Vegas Strip and designed by architect Paul Revere Williams. It consisted of a lobby with reinforced concrete shell (under construction at left) with motel wing extending from rear elevation.
- The building exemplified the Googie concept of “building as sign” with reinforced concrete lobby shaped like a conch shell. Various motel wing elements were articulated in blue to continue this theme.
- The motel closed in 2002, and the motel wing was later demolished. The lobby faced threat of demolition.
- The lobby was disassembled and moved in 2006 and reassembled at its current site in 2007.
- Design to accommodate the Neon Museum Visitor Center was inspired by historic documentation. In these photos, the hardscape and landscape features at the front yard setback interpret what originally existed. At the lobby, new brake metal and glazing with aqua hue was installed, similar to what originally existed. Shown at the right is a LiDAR model. LiDAR is a portmanteau of “light” and “radar.”
- Design to accommodate the Neon Museum Visitor Center was inspired by historic documentation. In these photos, the hardscape and landscape features at the front yard setback interpret what originally existed. At the lobby, new brake metal and glazing with aqua hue was installed, similar to what originally existed.
- The addition houses museum support spaces and relates to the historic lobby in the same manner as the original motel wing. A glass hyphen serves as a transition from old to new. Historic circulation patterns have been retained, in which guests progress from the lobby to the rest of the site by exiting through doors at either side of the rear, east elevation.
- The lobby interior features a new reception desk that closely matches the original. Light fixtures were custom fabricated. Carpeting is also inspired by the original design. The resin/plastic sign is original (a closer detail is on the next slide).
- Restoration and rehabilitation of original signage was an important aspect of this project.