“CITY OF LIGHT”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 792, 12 October 1929, Page 34

“CITY OF LIGHT”

I BERLIN VIES WITH PARIS ADVERTISING DEVICES The most striking feature of the great Advertising Exhibition in Berlin was closely connected with the German attempt to wrest the title of “La Ville Lumiere” from Paris. The new aspect of German cities by night has struck more people than the hard-headed advertising experts who attended the congress for an interchange of ideas on the art of extracting the public’s money from its pocket in the surest and cheapest way. Germany is now leading the way in the use of lighting effects for advertising. This does not imply the scintillating signs which give so much brightness to London, but it means a co-operation of architect and advertising manager in the case of a new building, and complete reconstruction when an older one is concerned. Words are built into the house itself. Lettering, either of the stone used for the building or some other hard substance, is illuminated from within through glass tubes invisible by daylight. This is varied by lettering made either of nickel or of glass, illuminated from behind by differently coloured bulbs. The general effect is extremely beautiful, and the demands of local societies for the preservation of good taste are satisfied by the method. Berlin is busy adding to the number of buildings so lighted, and the title of “City of Light,” it is hoped, will soon be awarded.