Art deco architecture

Bruce Wentworth, AIA, is a practicing architect whose insights on residential architec- ture have been published in House Beautiful, the New York Times, Southern Living, the Washingtonian, Washington Post, Colonial Homes and Other periodicals. Ask the Architect appears frequently in the Times Mirror news group, and has been featured in titles published by Media General, Network Communications and others. Canopy, Kennedy-Warren Apts, Washington, DC A creative but short-lived movement, Art Deco designs not only influenced the architecture of most American cities, but also had an impact on fashion, art and furniture, too. From 1925 to 1940, Americans embraced Art Deco architecture as a refreshing change from the eclectic and revivalist sensibilities that preceded it. The style takes its name from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs held in Paris in 1925 as a showcase for new inspiration. Bethesda Theatre, Bethesda, MD The Art Deco style was essentially one of applied decoration. Buildings were richly embellished with hard-edged, low-relief designs, geometric shapes (including chevrons and ziggurats) and stylized floral and sunrise patterns. Shapes and decorations inspired by Native American artwork were among the archetypes of the Art Deco lexicon. Although some buildings utilized expensive hand-crafted decoration, others used machine-made repetitive decorations. To keep costs down, ornamental treatment was often limited to the most visible parts of the building...

Minimalism is cool, but there’s something so gratifying about a little bit of opulence. Not that we’re trying to go full Rococo on our railroad apartment—although, do you—but we have been keeping an eye out for statement chairs and home decor that will make people wonder if we smoke golden-filtered Nat Sherman cigarettes, drink OJ from a crystal highball glass, and sleep with a bowler on. We’ve been itching for a little bit of Art Deco escapism. You know Art Deco design, even if you don’t think you do. You can find it in the symmetric glamour of New York City’s Chrysler Building, Los Angeles’ Griffith Observatory, and the drama of Lana Del Rey. The style first came to maturity in France in the 1920s, and gained international traction after the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris, which ate up the aesthetic’s vision for the future: a society in which bold, graphic design took precedence, while making a nod to the features of grand civilizations past. Think, shellacked black coffee tables, geometric chandeliers, stark mirrors, and dark velvet sofas. Art Deco pulled inspiration from Cubism, Ancient Egypt, and industrialism that enticed folks with a sense of streamlined luxury fit for the Roaring Twenties and beyond. So, how do you integrate Art Deco design into your own home decor? If you’re Jay Gatsby or RuPaul (peep the drag icon’s new Architectural Digest home video tour), you aim for something like this: Art Deco has also se...

Summary of Art Deco The Art Deco style manifested across the spectrum of the visual arts: from architecture, painting, and sculpture to the graphic and decorative arts. While Art Deco practitioners were often paying homage to modernist influences such as The Art Deco style originated in Paris, but has influenced architecture and culture as a whole. Art Deco works are symmetrical, geometric, streamlined, often simple, and pleasing to the eye. This style is in contrast to Key Ideas & Accomplishments • Art Deco, similar to • With the advent of large-scale manufacturing, artists and designers wished to enhance the appearance of mass-produced functional objects - everything from clocks and ashtrays to cars and buildings. Art Deco's pursuit of beauty in all aspects of life was directly reflective of the relative newness and mass usage of machine-age technology rather than traditional crafting methods to produce many objects. The • The Art Deco ethos diverged from the Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts styles, which emphasized the uniqueness and originality of handmade objects and featured stylized, organic forms. That crafted quality was emblematic of a kind of elitism in opposition to Art Deco's more egalitarian aim: to make aesthetically appealing, machine-made objects that were available to everyone. • Streamline Moderne, the American version of the Art Deco style was a stripped-down and sleek version of the more elaborate and often bespoke European Art Deco style. In many ways,...

Architects: Showcase your next project through Architizer and sign up for our inspirational newsletter . Ah, the Roaring Twenties, that decadent period when people tossed tradition out the window and really started living it up. Opulent parties, smokey jazz clubs, subterranean speakeasies — if only we could have been there! The auto, radio, and movie industries were flourishing; the literary world was on fire; and the fashion industry was going bonkers (what’s more fabulous than a slinky flapper dress?). Architecture was also having a glorious moment. Art Deco emerged as the era’s defining style, characterized by bold geometries and dramatic flourishes. It extended into the 1930s and ’40s and then faded after World War II. As we’ve finally arrived back in the Twenties — albeit the 2020s — could we see a new wave of Art Deco architecture fueled by the trends of a century ago? For some retro-inspiration, we’ve rounded up 15 magnificent examples of Art Deco design around the globe. Colony Hotel (1935) Designed by Henry Hohauser Miami Photo: • 15 Top AI Tools for Architects and Designers • Lost Masterpieces: 6 Iconic Buildings That Met the Wrecking Ball • Life Imitates Art: An Architectural Homage to Wes Anderson’s Cinematic Universe • An Architect’s Guide To: Graphic Perforated Metal Panels • 5 Books Every Architect Needs on Their Coffee Table

Today Michael Wyetzner of Michielli + Wyetzner Architects returns to Architectural Digest to explore the design evolution of American diners. A cornerstone of American dining culture, their distinctive style has been emulated around the world making them a popular salute to the USA. Michael provides an expert look into the history behind their design evolution from the 1920s through to the 1960s and explains why all diners came to look like that. • • • • • Do Not Sell My Personal Info © 2023 Condé Nast. All rights reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Architectural Digest may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast.

This story was originally published on 3/16/2020. Anyone who appreciates The Great Gatsby and Chicago—has probably gone through an Art Deco obsession phase. From the elaborate materials to the mesmerizing geometric shapes that define the aesthetic, it's one of the most enduring, distinct, and exciting design movements ever. Well, at least in my opinion. So when I was invited to go on an Art Deco walking tour with History of Art Deco Design Art Deco doors in New York’s Chrysler Building, designed by William Van Alen, ca. 1928-1930. (Photo by Angelo Hornak/Corbis via Getty Images) Angelo Hornak // Getty Images The Early Days (the early to mid 1920s): New Moderne (the term for Art Deco until it got the catchier moniker in the 1960s) became popular at the French exposition in 1920 as a backlash against the more traditional designs that were so popular at the time. The movement, which grew out of the more decorative Art Nouveau, combined many styles of the time, including Cubism and Viennese Succession. Art Deco began to take off within the fashion and jewelry industries, which then began influencing furniture design, which then also informed the architectural movement. Deco architecture was intrinsically tied to art and social movements of the time: the Biltmore in Los Angeles and the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, both iconic Deco buildings, were the social centers of their cities in the early 1920s and attracted artists and intellectuals. Alice Morgan for House Beautiful ...