The Broadway Theatre District in Los Angeles is bursting with fabulous 1930s Art Deco movie palaces, but there are none more Deco-rative than Claud Beelman’s Eastern Columbia Building. The turquoise exterior could be cast copper, oxidised over time and symbolic of the area’s faded glory, but the illusory patina serves only to enhance the building’s vintage charm. Now converted to condos, the Eastern Columbia is one of a number of properties in the district to get a major overhaul – Ace Hotels recently moved in up the road at another old theatre.
Fashion label Acne is the latest resident, setting up shop in the Eastern Columbia’s central arcade. When it comes to the interior design, we should first mention the giant mushroom in the room. The sculpture is the work of Belgian artist and friend of the brand Carsten Höller, who from his artwork seems like a “fun guy”… no? Get used to it, I’m here all year. Or maybe not after puns like that. Anyway, the store is a whopping 5,000 sq ft, and follows the brand’s new direction of pink tiling, blue carpets and perforated metal structures that serve as both display units and seating booths.
