Art Deco; a style that spans history
Art Deco style spans many different periods in history. The distinctive look was born in France just before the outbreak of WWI and its demise followed shortly after caused by WWII - A moment in history that prompted a lot of artistic and design styles to end.
Art Deco captured the prosperity and glamour of 1920s modernism with its classical influences, geometric motifs, and streamlined architectural characteristics. Despite not being around for very long, the Art Deco style is still widely referenced and present all over the world.
Unlike other design styles, Art Deco is unique in that it spans almost every area of art and design, including graphics, interiors, architecture, cars, jewelry, and even product design. It’s unusual for a style to have been adopted by so many artists and designers in different trades. And still today, the style is still greatly referenced in new designs.
Gold detail on the façade of the Folies Bergère cabaret music hall in Paris, by Maurice Pico (1926)
Cincinnati Union Terminal in Cincinnati, Ohio, by Alfred T. Fellheimer and Roland A. Wank (1933)
Interior door in the Chrysler Building (1930)
Conception
Art Deco was born out of frustration with the rise of affordable, fairly simplistic-looking German furniture so furniture designers developed their own unique style to compete. French brands such as Louis Vuitton and Cartier began designing their products in a more modern way, recruiting various decorative artists to work on their projects. Having been through a period of rationing due to WWI, the world sought luxury. Thus, luxurious materials like silk and ivory, along with angular and geometric shapes were used, forming the trademark of the Art Deco style. By 1910, Art Deco was influencing architecture in France, too.
Notable people and monuments
The first building to be created and shown to the public in the Art Deco style was the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées. It epitomises Art Deco as it exhibits hallmark features such as geometric shapes and angular designs. What made this movement so attractive was its ability to combine a mosaic of various and even contradictory styles to create something that was then, very new and exciting.
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées by Auguste Perret at 15, avenue Montaigne, Paris (1910–1913). Reinforced concrete gave architects the ability to create new forms and bigger spaces
Some of Art Decos most notable characteristics include:
geometric shapes and patterns
straight and smooth lines
vibrant and kitsch colours
pared-back and sleek forms
sunrise motifs
exaggerated arches
stepped forms
chevron shapes
floral patterns
Poster for the Chicago World's Fair by Weimer Pursell (1933)
Foyer of the Tuschinski Theatre in Amsterdam by Hijman Louis de Jong (1921)
Detail of Time, ceiling mural in lobby of 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, by Josep Maria Sert (1941)
Mayakovskaya Metro Station in Moscow by Alexey Dushkin (1936)
Bristol and the Art Deco movement
Are there still buildings around Bristol that are Art Deco? The short answer is, yes!
The surviving Art Deco buildings in Bristol tend to be in a totalitarian style and not of decadence. Think pared back, limited decoration, and form over function. One of the most iconic Art Deco buildings in Bristol that falls into this category is The Bristol Central Health Clinic of 1935. It encompasses strong characteristics of symmetry, with its central tower and angular forms.
Central Health Clinic, central Bristol. An NHS clinic, now part of the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. - Rwendland, commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Central_Health_Clinic,_Bristol.jpg
As mentioned previously, Art Deco is not just a style that has informed architecture. It has also informed interior and graphic design and continues to do so, even to this very day. When Phoenix Wharf was tasked with working on the branding and interiors for Ensemble (a small plates restaurant, with a primary focus on seasonal vegetarian dishes). The team noticed that the building had many influences of Art Deco style, most notably its use of arches and decorative mouldings. Thus, we took the opportunity to reflect this notion through the branding and interiors with a subtle use of metallic finishes, shapes, and decadence.
A full case study of ‘Ensemble’ can be found here.
If you have a building with a notable design style and want to reflect this look in its interior design then please get in touch!
