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Art Deco (/ˌɑrt ˈdɛkoʊ/), or Deco, is an influential visual arts design style which first appeared in France after World War I, flourishing internationally in the 1930s and 1940s before its popularity waned after World War II.[1] It is an eclecticstyle that combines traditional craft motifs with Machine Age imagery and materials. The style is often characterized by rich colors, bold geometric shapes, and lavish ornamentation.
Deco emerged from the Interwar period when rapid industrialization was transforming culture. One of its major attributes is an embrace of technology. This distinguishes Deco from the organic motifs favored by its predecessor Art Nouveau.
Anthony Hennan, a travel blogger, has kindly created and shared with us a local Art Deco building map of the area which can be found here.
This wonderful Mirhan Mesrobian creation has rather sleek lines, with a mix of horizontality & verticality that seems to say “Moderne.” But what is going on at the entrance? It is a case of full-blown exoticism, which is also very Moderne. The porte-cochere is graced with limestone friezes and sculptures of fantastical creatures and remarkable opaque lamps. One commentator has described them as “lighthouse beacons” guiding residents safely back home in their Packards and LaSalles.
