Art Deco Architecture

[FedoraGent]

Bay Area Art Deco

Folks,

Here in the Bay Area we've been rather fortunate in some cases and in others the buildings have been torn down for strip malls. Fine examples of those that have survived would be:

1. Orinda Theatre
2. Alameda Theatre
3. Grand Lake Theatre (Ok, ok, enough theatres)
4. Oakland Scottish Rite Temple
5. San Francisco Masonic Auditorium
6. Most of the Buildings in Union Square
7. Le Colonial
8. The Palace Hotel
9. The Beach Chalet
10. Paramount Theatre (ok last one)
11. San Francisco Martime Museum
12. The Hobart Building
13. The Call Building (Although not originally Deco, converted in 1933)
14. Of course...THE GOLDEN GATE AND BAY BRIDGES.



It's everywhere...and I absolutely love it. I'm trying to figure out if there just happens to be a ALOT of Art Deco around the Bay Area because people have been too cheap to remodel of if they really have a good sense of preservation?

Jon

 

[Nathan Dodge]

Great pics, everyone...

I should also mention that there are still many Deco private residences here in Miami and a bike ride through these parts of town on one of our many beautiful days is quite a treat...I sound like a tourist guide...

 

[Shaul-Ike Cohen]

Talkin bout Miami Beach

I always find it interesting that Art Deco, which I associate with Paris and Berlin in the 1920s, means 1940s candy-coloured buildings in the US.

 

[decodoll]

Folks,

Here in the Bay Area we've been rather fortunate in some cases and in others the buildings have been torn down for strip malls. Fine examples of those that have survived would be:

1. Orinda Theatre
2. Alameda Theatre
3. Grand Lake Theatre (Ok, ok, enough theatres)
4. Oakland Scottish Rite Temple
5. San Francisco Masonic Auditorium
6. Most of the Buildings in Union Square
7. Le Colonial
8. The Palace Hotel
9. The Beach Chalet
10. Paramount Theatre (ok last one)
11. San Francisco Martime Museum
12. The Hobart Building
13. The Call Building (Although not originally Deco, converted in 1933)
14. Of course...THE GOLDEN GATE AND BAY BRIDGES.



It's everywhere...and I absolutely love it. I'm trying to figure out if there just happens to be a ALOT of Art Deco around the Bay Area because people have been too cheap to remodel of if they really have a good sense of preservation?

Jon

Don't forget Rincon Center!

And a picture of the Maritime Museum, which I love.

 

[Wild Root]

I always find it interesting that Art Deco, which I associate with Paris and Berlin in the 1920s, means 1940s candy-coloured buildings in the US.

Well, technically, Art Deco was invented in France in the 1920's... it came a crossed and landed in the US in the late 20's... it was different in France some what then it was here when it gained popularity, I say true classic Art Deco period was 1927-1934 and after 1934 to 1941 it became known as streamline. The 40's weren't Art Deco, they were streamline.

There are different styles of streamline and Art Deco... there are forms of Art Deco that have strong Aztec or Indian influences, also, there is Egyptian Deco... then, in the mid to late 30's it became streamline modern which I find very attractive too.

=WR=

PS. Decodoll, WOW! Nice photos there!!! I'll have to go there some time and blow a roll of film! Or, fill a card on a digital! lol

 

[Wild Root]

Avalon Casino.

Well, I almost forgot the most true Art Deco structure here... it's the Avalon Casino Ballroom!

Some photos I found...
Out front...

The theater...

The joint was completed in 1927... I have photos of the inside of the ballroom, I'll have to scan some in... it's amazing!

=WR=

=WR=

 

[Absinthe_1900]

Talkin bout Miami Beach I always find it interesting that Art Deco, which I associate with Paris and Berlin in the 1920s, means 1940s candy-coloured buildings in the US.

The Miami candy colored palette was a 1980's deco revival scheme, the original buildings were generally painted white.

 

[Wild Root]

You're so right! Can we say: Miami Vice? Yeah, thank the 80's for all of those cotton candy colors... eew.

=WR=

 

[Absinthe_1900]

The candy colors also require re-painting far more often, because they do not hold up to the Florida sun as well as the original white.
(They knew what they were doing back then)

 

[Wild Root]

Yes, they sure did! The original color combo's were white with maybe light or dark blue trim... or black trim... they really should go back to that! It would save them money and our eyes from wanting to fall-out! lol

=WR=

 

[Tomasso]

The Largest Art Deco Building In The World

The Merchandise Mart in Chicago is over 4 million square feet of Art Deco. The 19th floor was home to WMAQ Radio which was one of the big voices of the Golden Era. Fibber McGee and Molly, the Breakfast Club, Amos n' Andy, Captain Midnight were among the shows that broadcasted from the MM.

And she lights up at night.

And for the Holidays.

 

[Atomic Glee]

Fort Worth is home to tons of great Art Deco buildings. Here are some of my favorites:

For starters, there's the Texas & Pacific train station, which now serves as the Trinity Railway Express station and as loft condos:

It's part of a grand early '30s complex that includes the T&P terminal, the gorgeous downtown Post Office, and the T&P warehouse further out in the distance - there's a lot of restoration and roadwork going on around the buildings, so pardon the mess. This area was ruined in the '60s by a horrid expressway overpass and lots of parking lots, but now the overpass is gone and the area is being returned to its '30s layout as part of a revitalization effort:

 

[Atomic Glee]

Another neat Art Deco building in downtown is the Western Union Building at 3rd & Main:

Then, there's the old home of the Kress five & dime, which now houses a pub and whose upper floors are becoming loft apartments:

In this shot, the Kress building is seen with its neighbor, the absolutely gorgeous Sinclair Building, another Art Deco gem I'll show next.

 

[FedoraGent]

Don't forget Rincon Center!

And a picture of the Maritime Museum, which I love.

DecoDoll,

You just made my heart skip a beat. Yes, I love those murals and how can I forget about Rincon Center! Ess Eff has soo much. Awesome pics.

Jon

 

[Atomic Glee]

Definitely one of our coolest Art Deco buildings, the Sinclair Building just drips with Zigzag Moderne style:

Yours truly, at the entrance:

 

[FedoraGent]

Art Deco...

You know I was thinking that it was an AWESOME gift that the previous generation left to us that we still appreciate to this day. They left a piece of their period, showing us that class, style and form can remain timeless.

Jon

 

[Matthew Dalton]

This website shows some Art Deco buildings from my country, although the images aren't particularly grand...

I've read that Melbourne at least didn't really change too much during the Golden Era, not a whole lot of money to spend on Art Deco at the time.

 

[swinggal]

There are a tonne of art deco buildings in Australia. Perth has whole suburbs full of houses built in the deco style in the 30s. Just fabulous. We also have many of our orginal theatres, pubs and cinemas still running. Places like the Cygnet, the Picadilly, The Astor, The Luna (Offord) Camelot and the Windsor.There are also still plenty of public buildings in the city that were built in the 20s and 30s still standing and in use. The Perth Art Deco Society is quite pro-active and has saved many buildings from destruction in the last 20 years.

Some of the deco bulidings in Australia have a very distinctive style which is unique. Even country towns have art deco buildings, some even with tiny populations. Many town halls are built in a deco style. The town I grew up had an Olympic sized pool and the whole front facade is art deco...it's wonderful.

 

[Rosie]

This:

is being turned into this:

It will only cost you $349,000 (for 340 square feet) to $1,200,000 (for a little over 1200 square feet) to "own a piece of history" (that's their tag line).

 

[Scuffy]

I gotta say thanks guys! I didn't plan on getting this many responses, especially so fast! I'd say that I definitely have a good list started to pick and choose from a location for vacation this year! Thanks again!!!! I've got quite a few slides of downtown Cleveland- still a very massive quantity of art deco work there... but I have to get them scanned. Soon though!