- "It got its name after the 1925 Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes (International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts) held in Paris."
Ornamentation in Art Deco architecture includes stylized imagery such as sunbursts, chevrons, and zigzags. Other common decorative elements include geometric shapes, streamlined curves, and symmetry.
Art Deco Style: A decorative style that emerged in the 1920s and 1930s, characterized by geometric shapes, bold colors, and a sense of modernity.
Ornamentation: The technique of incorporating decorative elements into a design, which can range from simple patterns to elaborate imagery.
Architecture: The design and construction of buildings and structures, which can be influenced by various styles and movements.
Materials: The choice of materials used in Art Deco architecture, which often include natural materials such as marble or granite, as well as man-made materials such as chrome or glass.
Motifs: The recurring decorative elements, such as zigzags or sunbursts, that are found in Art Deco ornamentation.
Color: The use of bold, contrasting colors in Art Deco ornamentation, which can create a striking visual effect.
Symmetry: The use of symmetrical design elements, such as repeated patterns or mirrored images, in Art Deco architecture.
Geometry: The use of geometric shapes, such as circles or triangles, in Art Deco ornamentation.
Lighting: The importance of lighting in creating a dramatic effect in Art Deco architecture, including the use of hidden or indirect lighting.
History and Context: Understanding the historical and cultural context in which Art Deco architecture emerged, including the influence of technological advances and social changes.
Zig-zags: A series of straight lines that make sharp angular turns in the pattern.
Geometric shapes: Simple shapes like circles, squares, triangles, and rectangles were widely used as decorative motifs in Art Deco buildings.
Sunburst: A radiating pattern that resembles a burst of sunlight with sharp lines reaching out to the edges of the design.
Streamlining: An Art Deco style characterized by smooth, flowing lines that imitate the appearance of movement, often found on transportation buildings or objects.
Floral patterns: Art Deco designs often featured stylized floral patterns with vibrant colors and bold shapes.
Curved lines: Solid curved or semi-circular decorations with flowing lines were also common, especially found on the frontage or cantilevered elements of buildings.
Chevrons: Repetitive V-shapes in various sizes, either pointed up or down, used to create diagonal stripes or design features.
Egyptian themes: Egyptian art motifs were popular in Art Deco architecture, with stylized sphinxes, pyramids, and hieroglyphics as decorative elements.
Mirror/Chrome Finish: Art Deco designs often used reflective surfaces, such as mirrors or sometimes with a chrome finish, to create a glamorous, exhibit-like quality.
Recessed Panels: Recessed areas or panels, with a divider or trim surrounding them, often decorated with intricate designs, used for contrast in monolithic building facades or to add texture.
Hard-edged angles: Rectangular or angular forms were typically used as the foundation of Art Deco designs, so hard edges and clean lines became accented by simple ornamentation.
Futuristic shapes: Art Deco designers often envisioned what would become the future of technology, with the shapes of airplanes, trains, and machinery incorporated into creating abstract forms for architectural decoration.
- "First appeared in France in the 1910s, and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920s to early 1930s."
- "Influenced bridges, buildings (from skyscrapers to cinemas), ships, ocean liners, trains, cars, trucks, buses, furniture, and everyday objects like radios and vacuum cleaners."
- "Combined modern styles with fine craftsmanship and rich materials.", "Represented luxury, glamour, exuberance, and faith in social and technological progress."
- "Influenced by the bold geometric forms of Cubism and the Vienna Secession; the bright colours of Fauvism and of the Ballets Russes; the updated craftsmanship of the furniture of the eras of Louis XVI and Louis Philippe I; and the exoticized styles of China, Japan, India, Persia, ancient Egypt and Maya art."
- "Rare and expensive materials, such as ebony and ivory."
- "The Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, and other skyscrapers of New York City built during the 1920s and 1930s."
- "Art Deco became more subdued.", "New materials arrived, including chrome plating, stainless steel and plastic."
- "A sleeker form of the style, called Streamline Moderne, appeared in the 1930s, featuring curving forms and smooth, polished surfaces."
- "With the beginning of World War II and the rise of the strictly functional and unadorned styles of modern architecture and the International Style of architecture that followed."
- "It gave Art Deco its name."
- "United States and Europe during the 1920s to early 1930s."
- "Fauvism and of the Ballets Russes."
- "Rare and expensive materials.", "Faith in social and technological progress."
- "Art Deco became more subdued.", "New materials arrived, including chrome plating, stainless steel and plastic."
- "Curving forms and smooth, polished surfaces."
- "The beginning of World War II and the rise of the strictly functional and unadorned styles of modern architecture."
- "Bold geometric forms, bright colors, and exotic influences."
- "Combined modern styles with fine craftsmanship and rich materials."
- "Monuments to the style."