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 historic glaze colors from Atalantic Terra Cotta Company to match, in collaboration with Boston Valley Terra Cotta USA
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 Tunickornaments from Atlantic Terra Cotta Company USA 1923
redesigning the glazes
the first results in getting to understand the material
a close look at the unique glaze application