Art Deco The Deliciously Detailed To The Sublime Streamline

 Art Deco is a style that became popular following the Paris World Fair of 1925, it's official French title is somewhat longer, Exposition Internationale Des Arts Decoratifs Et Industriels Modernes, translating into English as the International Exhibition Of Modern Decorative And Industrial Arts, this exhibition was designed to highlight the Style Moderne and covered architecture, interior design, furniture and jewellery, it was a big success attracting over 16 million visitors during it's 7 month run. The name Art Deco which many years later became the collective term for this style came from the title of this World Fair.

Art Deco Strikes Back At George's Dock Building Liverpool

The style was heavily influenced by ancient cultures and archaeology taking hints from the Egyptian, Roman and the Aztec eras and by combining these with modern craftmanship together they created elaborate geometric patterns, chevrons and zig zags and often featured abstract representations of all the then modern advances. Art Deco didn't just suddenly appear however and was seen as a progression from the former popular styles of Art Nouveau and Beaux Arts.

The 1920s had been prosperous years for many of the world's economies and following the horrors of World War I in which millions had been killed the world was ready to 'let it's hair down' and the Art Deco style seemed to incorporate this celebration into it's designs with vibrant rich colours and playful bold patterns. 

Art Deco quickly became the style of choice for many architects and this passion soon crossed the Atlantic, with the American economy booming, New York, the country's largest city, literally took the style to new heights with skyscrapers reaching higher and higher into the sky, transforming the city's skyline. New York streets had previously suffered from a lack of light when rows of tall buildings created canyons blocking the light below, to evade this problem 'setbacks' were required, this is when a section of the building is narrower than it's lower floors, the higher the building the more 'setbacks' were required to allow the light through which in turn only pushed the buildings higher and higher and created a trademark feature of the Art Deco skyscraper, it's stepped appearance.

The photo below is of the Art Deco building, Shell Mex House in London, although not as tall as the skyscrapers in New York, the setbacks can clearly be seen in it's design.

The British cinema chain Odeon also used the Art Deco style to it's advantage, with film attendances high the booming business erected dozens of new cinemas during the 1930s many to the development and designs of Harry Weedon and Cecil Clavering. The exterior of these buildings were often similar and several features became their trademark style, using a mixture of brick and tile detailing, tall narrow 'fins' and towers, often displaying a neon Odeon name and curved corners, you knew when you were passing an Odeon. The interiors of these picture palaces continued their trademark theme, incorporating decorative, elaborate light fixtures, geometric wall and ceiling patterns and simple bands, Odeon's were designed to impress, to be as dramatic and lavish as the film you were about to watch.

Oh It's An Odeon The Former Odeon Cinema In Leicester

The stock market crash of 1929 however would change all that and as the Great Depression took hold construction ground to a halt, elaborate detail was seen as an expense that could be done without and a more paired down, simpler style emerged known as Streamline Moderne.

Steamline Moderne was a sleeker style that seemed to embrace speed. Transportation and manufacturing were going through great changes, speed records on land, sea and air were constantly being broken while mass manufaction meant that everyday objects and luxuries could be produced quicker and cheaper. Simple lines, bands and string courses replaced the intricate designs of the previous decades almost bringing the elusion of movement to the most steadfast of objects. The great ocean liners of the time and a nautical appearance also became influential and as the world went to war once again World War II would bring an end to the style and by the time war was over people wanted to move on, to embrace the future and even more simpler designs became fashionable. 

The Shape Of Things To Come The Streamline Embassy Court In Brighton