Art Deco Architecture: Everything You Need to Know

"Art Deco buildings are often visible from any angle. Instead of appearing two-dimensional-the way many buildings look when placed directly next to each other-art deco buildings consistently appear three-dimensional. "One way you do this is by building skyscrapers that tower over the neighbors, but they also did more than that." Robins says. "Architects would chamfer the corners or curve the corners, they'd use setbacks and other designs to give the sense of three dimensions.""

"Art Deco design often employs the use of vibrant colors including yellow, green, red, and blue. Ornamentation is a large part of the Art Deco ethos. "There are two basic kinds of Art Deco ornaments," Robins says. Generally you'll find either abstract geometric patterns-things like zigzags, chevrons, lighting bolts, or sunbursts-or stylized floral patterns. "That's something that looks natural but wouldn't actually find in nature like that.""

Art Deco architecture emphasizes three-dimensional form visible from any angle through massing, chamfered or curved corners, setbacks, and towering proportions. Color palettes often depart from monotone gray and use vibrant hues such as yellow, green, red, and blue. Ornamentation is central and typically appears as either abstract geometric motifs (zigzags, chevrons, lightning bolts, sunbursts) or stylized floral designs that evoke but do not replicate natural forms. Buildings convey verticality even when not skyscrapers, commonly achieved through vertical window treatments and other vertical design elements that draw the eye upward.

Read at Architectural Digest