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The Future was Bright

Lighting was, by far, one of the most important features
of Googie interiors. While lighting is a certainly a nec-
essary aspect of any establishment, it played an integral
role in evoking the light, airy, and spacious design goals
of Googie interiors. The lighting used in these establish-
ments was meant to be secondary to natural light, which
during the day served as the primary light source.
The plate glass windows and open floor plans allowed for
maximal exploitation of such natural light sources.

The evenings, however, brought a remarkable shift.
Googie interiors were designed to light up at night like
living billboards, with its focus on post-war Californian
consumption resulting in dazzling nighttime lighting
displays. Large, bright, vividly shaped neon signs would
identify the structures from far away and the brightly lit
interiors as seen through the plate glass walls provided
a glimpse of what customers could expect: cleanliness,
efficiency, speedy service, and fun. Once inside the struc-
ture, they were consuming not only the goods provided
to them, but the interiors, the other patrons, the cars
outside – in short, the total environment. It was a place
to see and be seen, and a perfect accompaniment to the
new practice of “cruising the strip.”

Fig 8 - Photograph by Author (2015) - 105 -