Between 1920 and 1939, Art Deco Architecture was all the
rage. Not only did the Art Deco movement affect
Architecture, but also interior design, industrial design
and visual arts like fashion, painting, graphic arts and
film.
The movement was a mixture of many different styles,
incorporating cubism, modernism, Bauhaus, Art Nouveau, and
Futurism, and its popularity peaked in the roaring
twenties.
While many earlier architectural styles had political or
philosophical roots, Art Deco Architecture was simply
decorative.
Designed to be beautiful, elegant, functional and modern.
One of the best-known pieces of Art Deco architecture in
the U.S. is the Chrysler Building in New York.
The beautiful Art Deco spire was built between 1928 and
1930. Following close behind the Art Deco period was the
Streamline Moderne. The focus was mainly on advancing
technologies such as automobiles and aviation.
Art Deco architecture is mainly composed of man-made
materials. The most popular being glass and stainless
steel. Lines were very symmetrical and repetitive
throughout structures.
Very popular during the great depression because of its
simplicity and practicality, Art Deco still reminded people
of the better times and gave them hope of one day reliving
them.
World War II cut short the life of Art Deco. People began
to see it as gaudy and a false image of luxury, but Art
Deco presented the gateway to modernism, which continues
well into the 1960s.
Today we see a revival of the old, people caring enough to
reconstruct or refurbish the beautiful designs of Art Deco
architecture or even begin modernizing it and mixing it
with styles of today. But as you travel the country, in
many big cities you can still find the grand structures of
Art Deco still standing.
