Grand Lobby, Paramount Theatre, Oakland

The final part that I want to show you of Oakland's Paramount Theatre is the grand lobby.

This representation of a goddess with her attendant handmaidens take up the side walls of the grand lobby and to understand the scale of the space I estimate they are about 1 metre (slightly more than 3¼ feet) tall.

The close-up view shows the details of the figures, the stylised nature of their faces and long hair.

The ceiling and one end of the lobby use the same type of metal fins used in the auditorium to provide the decoration and dampen the din of the theatre-goers in the space below.

This decoration was designed by Gerald Fitzgerald whose preliminary designs were also used for the facade decoration and the bas-reliefs in the auditorium.

The principle piece of decoration designed by Fitzgerald for the theatre is the glass 'fountain of light' above the main doors opening onto the street from the grand lobby.

It is a monumental and, along with the facade, is a defining feature of the Paramount Theatre.

References:
Paramount Theatre website
Art Deco San Francisco: The Architecture of Timothy Pflueger, Therese Poletti