New York, NY, 10 May 2010—In a ceremony this morning, Harlem's historic Apollo Theater unveiled its new Walk of Fame designed by New York City-based graphic design firm Two Twelve with Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLP. The Walk of Fame honors some of the brightest stars to have graced the Apollo's stage during its 75-year history, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Gladys Knight & the Pips, James Brown, and Smokey Robinson.

"We feel privileged to make a long-term contribution to the public experience of such a legendary institution," said Two Twelve principal-in-charge Ann Harakawa. "What a pleasure it has been not only to help restore the vibrancy of a New York landmark, but to pay lasting tribute to performers who have shaped our culture."

The Walk of Fame features bronze plaques honoring the names of star performers who have been inducted into the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame. Subsequent Apollo Legends will be added to the Walk of Fame every year during the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, an annual highlight of the Theater's spring season.

Two Twelve took great care to ensure that the Walk of Fame is uniquely representative of the Apollo Theater and the entertainers it celebrates: the typeface used for honorees' names matches the custom font displayed on the theater marquee; the radial pattern emanating from the inductee's name signifies the enormous impact each star has had upon generations of musicians and fans; and the chaser light design refers to the marquee lighting. Even the pattern that the bronze plaques and stone tiles form on the sidewalk references rhythmic African Kente cloth patterns, symbolizing the theater's historic place in the fabric of African-American culture.

Two Twelve has had an ongoing relationship with the Apollo since 2001 when Beyer Blinder Belle Architects were commissioned to lead a $25 million renovation of the theater and asked Two Twelve to join the team as signage and graphics consultants.

To contain the visual distraction of the renovation and enhance marketing efforts, Two Twelve produced graphics for construction barricades featuring images of entertainers who have performed at the Apollo, as well as a branded scrim that conveyed the Apollo name while the marquee itself was under construction and out of sight.

In 2005 we then designed new back of house signage and updated the theater's iconic marquee. We specified light-emitting diode (LED) and additional illuminated lettering that utilizes contemporary energy-saving technology but is true to the landmarked design of the original marquee.

Two Twelve has created graphics programs for other notable New York City spaces and places including the Empire State Building and Grand Central Terminal (also with Beyer Blinder Belle); the Rockefeller Center retail concourse (with BBB and Tishman Speyer); and Radio City Music Hall and the New Amsterdam Theatre (with Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Architects).

Current clients include Princeton University, New Meadowlands Stadium, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Bloomberg LP, and the Alexandria Center for Science and Technology at East River Science Park.

About Two Twelve
Two Twelve (http://www.twotwelve.com) is a graphic design firm that seeks sustainable solutions to problems of wayfinding, information, and visioning. David Gibson founded Two Twelve in 1980, and he and his partner Ann Harakawa presently run the firm's New York-based operation. Important commissions have included wayfinding, graphics, and signage design for the New York Mets' new ballpark, Citi Field; the Yale University campus; Massachusetts General Hospital; and Children's Hospital Boston. Mr. Gibson is the author of the award-winning volume The Wayfinding Handbook: Information Design for Public Places (Princeton Architectural Press, 2009), an introduction to the interdisciplinary design practice.

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