3 ROWS x 24 COLUMNS
Black Sheet Metal Casing
Black Flaps with Stock Font
Stock Software
There was a time when air travel represented the height of luxury. We’d toss on our three-piece suits, furs, shined shoes and take to the skies with PanAm. It was an experience in itself just being on a plane – signaling sophistication and status. Although we may have swapped those dapper duds for leggings and hoodies, The Palm Beaches marketing organization strived to bring back the nostalgia of what flying once was through their Golden Age of Travel pop-up event in Grand Central Station.
Upon entering the historic terminal from 42nd Street, travelers were greeted by flight attendants dressed to the nines in teal suits and garrison caps – a style we no longer see. One of the flight attendants then greeted you with a “hello, welcome aboard Palm Beach Air!” The pop-up featured everything from vintage furniture, luggage, and the fuselage of an aircraft right inside Vanderbilt Hall. Those catching their trains surely felt they walked back in time. Each element throughout the pop-up played a key part in invoking the nostalgic sensation. Travelers were able to sit in chairs by Hans Wegner next to a pile of vintage hard-sided suitcases as if you were waiting in a terminal in 1960. You could even buckle up in airline seating inside the plane and look out the window to a view of glamorous West Palm Beach. No matter what you enjoyed at the pop-up there was the subtle sound of “click-clack” that complemented the tunes of Frank Sinatra and Buddy Holly every few minutes.
The Golden Age of Travel wouldn’t have been complete without a Split Flap Display – the board rotated between departure times and messages about the event and attracted an ample amount of attention through social media posts and selfies. Although a stock display, the Split Flap was encased in a custom frame that gave off similar TWA Hotel vibes – one of our favorite displays we didn’t build. Split Flaps are now commonly used in restaurants, bars, offices, and lobbies that don’t always represent the mid-19th century time period that Split Flaps were most prominent. Seeing one inside one of the most known travel hubs in the world was quite the treat and now some can say they saw a Split Flap in Grand Central Station once again.
Love Split Flap projects? Sign up for our monthly Analog Design Email!
