Designated: June 25, 2024
The 1 Wall Street Banking Room interior of the Irving Trust and Bank Company is best known as the Red Room for the glorious and electrifying abstract mosaic decoration, designed by Hildreth Meiere, which defines the space. Meiere, who was recognized by her colleagues at the AIA as a Master of Murals, undertook over 100 such projects throughout her life.
The mosaic design is meant to mimic the curved stone facades of 1 Wall Street, one of the earliest Art Deco skyscrapers in New York City. According to the Landmarks Preservation Commission press release “The room’s walls, ceiling, and columns sparkle with mosaic tile in warm colors that fade from red to orange across the ceiling, and gilded tiles create web-like designs that glitter on the red background and draw the eye up – an elaborate style that presents a dramatic departure from more typical classically-inspired stone banking halls of the era.”
The Red Room, completed in 1931, stands out as one of Meiere’s only abstract designs, and also as her first collaborative project with Ralph Walker. The two would next work together on the ATT Long Distance Building at 32 6th Avenue, which has been both an individual and interior landmark since 1991, though the designation report for that interior does not mention Meiere’s work. We are thrilled that Meiere’s contribution is being recognized here.
Photo courtesy of the Landmarks Preservation Commission
STATUS Designated Interior Landmark
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