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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: Walter Smalling
Union Terminal (1933)
Designed by Alfred T. Fellheimer, Steward Wagner, Paul Philippe Cret, and Roland Wank
Cincinnati, Ohio
Photo: Buildipedia
Niagara Mohawk Building (1932)
Designed by Melvin L. King and Bley & Lyman
Syracuse, New York
Photo: Fine Art America
American Radiator Building (1924)
Raymond Hood and André Fouilhoux
Photo: Wikipedia
New York City
Eastern Columbia Building (1930)
Designed by Claud Beelman
Los Angeles
Photo: Sunny in LA
SS Normandie Ocean Liner (1932)
Interior design by Roger-Henri Expert
Built in France
Photo: The Magazine Antiques
Griffith Observatory (1935)
Designed by Austin and Ashley; restored by Pfeiffer Partners and Levin & Associates in 2006
Los Angeles
Photo: Wikipedia
Nebraska State Capitol (1932)
Designed by Bertram Goodhue
Lincoln, Nebraska
Photo: Wikipedia
Luhrs Tower (1929)
Designed by Trost & Trost
Phoenix
Photo: Rita Boehm Photography
Folies Bergère (1869—early Art Deco!)
Designed by Plummet
Paris
Photo: Wikipedia
LeVeque Tower (1924)
Designed by C. Howard Crane
Columbus, Ohio
Photo: Wikimapia
China Tang at The Dorchester (1931)
Hotel designed by Owen Williams and Williams Curtis Green; restaurant designed by JLA
London
Photo: The Dorchester
Chrysler Building (1930)
Designed by William Van Alen
New York City
Photo: Simonpix on Flickr
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Rockefeller Center (1939)
Designed by Raymond Hood
New York City
Photo: David Shankbone, via Wikipedia
DEMOLISHED! Richfield Tower (1929; razed in 1969)
Designed by Stiles O. Clements
Los Angeles
Photo: Skyscraper City
Top image: Ocean Drive, Miami, via Wikipedia
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