21 Apr graven and mayger’s mayan revival fisher theater through photos and fragments
detroit’s extant iconic art deco towering fisher building (1928) is one of the most notable works by architect albert kahn (joseph fathaniel french served as architect). the 30-story building – faced with a combination of limestone, granite, and several types of marble – was financed by the fisher family, using proceeds from the sale of fisher body to general motors.
the building’s 3,500-seat theater was designed by chicago-based anker s. graven and arthur g. mayger with a lavish aztec-themed interior in the mayan revival style. the theater contained mexican-indian art, banana trees, and live macaws that moviegoers could feed. after the depression the theater continued to operate until 1961, at which time, graven and mayger’s former employers, rapp and rapp, completely gutted the theater in favor of a more banal mid-century design with considerably less seating. despite this, original ornament, blueprints, and detailed photographs survive, with the majority of the archive housed in the bldg. 51 museum collection.
the following entries – posted over the past few years, offers invaluable insight into the fisher theater, the firm of mayger and graven, and any and all of their other commissions completed during their short-lived existence (1927-1928).
AN INTIMATE LOOK AT DETROIT’S LOST MAYAN REVIVAL STYLE FISHER THEATER THROUGH NEWLY DISCOVERED PHOTOGRAPHS
BLDG. 51 MUSEUM ACQUIRES “LOST” RECORDS OF ARCHITECTURAL FIRM GRAVEN AND MAYGER
