2015Childs Restaurant, Coney Island New York
The historic glaze colors from Atalantic Terra Cotta Company to match, in collaboration with Boston Valley Terra Cotta USA
THE DELLA ROBBIA SCHOOL OF TODAY
“The brilliant polychrome terra cotta, instead of following the conventional flower and fruit motive of the Della Robbia school, is marine to the last degree – and even submarine in part. The carnival spirit of Coney Island demands color; it permits almost anything. Childs restaurant strikes a new note of beauty in surroundings that are naturally festive."
Designed by Dennison & Hirons in a fanciful resort style combining elements of the Spanish Colonial Revival. In 2001 is was considered as one of the most unusual examples of polychrome terra cotta.
The terra cotta was manufactured by Atlantic Terra Cotta Company, from models by Max Keck and coloration by Duncan Smith. For that time this terra cotta applied to the building was striking and unusual. It was unusual because it differed from the purely traditional elements. The designers worked closely with the terra cotta artists of the ATCC.
From a distance the Childs building offers a nice but fairly standard neo-Spanish colonial design with classical elements. But closer the detailing shows the marine and sub marine detailing. This sense of absurd surprises makes the building pleasing beyond its architectural accomplishment.
from FOTC research by Susan Tunick
