C. Howard Crane ranks among the great American theater designers of the early 20th century, with surviving examples of his work in New York, Los Angeles, St. Louis and, of course, Detroit. In the mid-1930s, Crane took his talents to London, where, among many other projects, he designed the enormous Earl’s Court Exhibition Center. Author, photographer and architectural historian Dale A. Carlson takes us into Crane’s life and work, from his Detroit theaters to his work abroad. Along the way, he’ll revisit some of Crane’s most familiar local creations, including the lavish Fox Theatre, the acoustically renowned Orchestra Hall and the modern Art Deco facade of the State Theater in downtown Ann Arbor.
ARCHITECTURE LECTURE SERIES
The Firm That Built Detroit: Smith, Hinchman & Grylls | Nov. 7
Detroit's Palace Architect: Louis Kamper | Dec. 5
Sacred Spaces and City Landmarks: Spier & Rohns | Jan 16