TROPICAL DECO
Building South Beach Modernity MICHAEL HUGHES
The Evolution of Deco
Introduction A
TROPICAL DECO Building South Beach Modernity
MICHAEL HUGHES
Table of Contents
Preface Introduction
5
The Evolution of Deco
7
Chapter One
The Moderne Movement
17
Chapter Two
The Architects
25
C h a p t e r T h re e
B u i l d i n g B o o m i n the 1930’s
43
Chapter Four
Resort Glamour
Chapter Five
Miami Design Preservation League
Chapter Six
Modern Revival
Chapter Seven
T o u r i s m
123
Chapter Eight
A Look Ahead
139
Appendix
61 77 1 03
165
S elected Bibliography
187
P hoto C redits
191
INTRODUCTION
The Evolution of Deco
T
he Art Deco District in Miami Beach contains the largest concentration of 1920’s and 1930’s resort architecture in the world. These vibrantly colored buildings represent an era when Miami was heavily promoted and developed as a “tropical playground.” They pose along the streets of South Beach, colorful and curvaceous machinations of pastel stucco and neon, reminders of a by-gone era of escapism and hedonistic delights. Resembling cruise liners and Flash Gordon rocket ships, the Art Deco buildings here project a sense of playfulness and frivolity. Though the art form was born at the 1925 World’s Fair in Paris, a fusion of Art Nouveau and early twentieth century industrial modernism, it is in Miami Beach where it seems most at home: portholes, rounded walls, and steely accents conjure images of carefree vacations on the high seas, while the colors appear chosen from a palette of turquoise water and island sunsets. It is fitting, then, that South Beach should be home to the largest collection of Deco architecture in the world, and perhaps equally fitting that it should be preserved in its original state, a testament to the whimsical inspiration that simple pleasures can bring.
The Evolution of Deco
Introduction 3
Architectural Styles Vernacular Style: 1900’s –1930’s
Vernacular is not a style, but rather a common method of early construction in South Florida. The materials and forms encompassed wood frame and masonry construction. These materials and methods were transferred from abroad with the Beach's early settlers. Through time, many of these structures were replaced. Wood Frame construction was most evident in the earliest days of Ocean Beach and reflected a secluded resort-like character. Noted for stark simplicity, vernacular structures are usually rectilinear in form with little or no elaboration. Functional elements supply the only elaboration or decoration except that occasionally modest Classical elements were referenced such as the engaged pilasters that were seen on the Atlantic Hotel at 112 Ocean Drive, built in 1915. Most are one and two stories in height with flat, gable or hipped roof and a single story porch extending across the front.
Bungalow Style: 1910’s –1930’s
Bungalows were a popular in Ocean Beach from the earliest development years through the 1930’s. Many of these simple structures may have been constructed from mail order house plans gotten from catalogues, but others were designed by local architects as distinguished as V. H. Nellenbogen. Typically, bungalows were of wood frame construction, one to one and a half stories in height, with gable roofs, overhanging eaves, front porches , and large wood sash windows. They afforded good cross ventilation, a shaded outdoor area, and adapted well to South Florida coastal conditions, generally being elevated two to three feet above grade on foundation walls or masonry piers.
Mediterranean Revival Style: 1910’s –1930’s
Mediterranean Revival architecture was the “style of choice” for the first major boom period in Ocean Beach. It's connotation of Mediterranean resort architecture, combining expressions of Italian, Moorish, North African and Southern Spanish themes, was found to be an appropriate and commercially appealing image for the new Floridian seaside resort. During the mid 1910’s through the early 1930’s the style was applied to hotels, apartment buildings, commercial structures, and even modest residences. Its architectural vocabulary was characterized by stucco walls, low pitched terra cotta and historic Cuban tile roofs, arches, scrolled or tile capped parapet walls and articulated door surrounds, sometimes utilizing Spanish Baroque decorative motifs and Classical elements. Feature detailing was occasionally executed in keystone.
Mediterranean Revival - Art Deco Transitional: 1920’s –1930’s
“Med-Deco” in Ocean Beach was a synthesis of Mediterranean Revival form a Art Deco decorative detail. This unique hybrid style became a fascinating bridge between the “familiar” and the “new” as the allure of Art Deco found its way into the Beach's architectural vocabulary. Clean ziggurat roof lines and crisp geometric detailing replaced scrolled parapets, bracketed cornices and Classical features on structures of clear Mediterranean Revival form. Likewise, sloped barrel tile roofs rested gracefully on edifices with spectacular Art Deco entrances and facade treatments. Some of the most celebrated architects in Miami Beach designed structures in this brief-lived style, including V. H. Nellenbogen, Henry Hohauser and T. Hunter Henderson. The predominant exterior material of Med-Deco was smooth stucco with raised or incised details. Featured stucco areas were often patterned or scored. Keystone, either natural or filled and colored, was frequently used to define special elements. Windows ranged from wood and steel casement to wood double hung.
4
Tropical Deco
Art Deco Style: late 1920’s –1930’s
Art Deco is considered one of the first twentieth century architectural styles in America to break with traditional revival forms. It emanated largely from the impact of the 1925 Paris Exposition des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, a design fair celebrating the reconciliation between the decorative arts and advancements in technology and industry. Building forms in the Art Deco style were typically angular and clean, with stepped back facades, symmetrical or asymmetrical massing and strong vertical accenting. The preferred decorative language included geometric patterns, abstracted natural forms, modern industrial symbols and ancient cultural motifs employing Mayan, Egyptian and Indigenous American themes. In Ocean Beach a unique form of Art Deco employed nautical themes as well as tropical floral and fauna motifs. Ocean liners, palm trees, and flamingos graced the exteriors and interiors of the new local architecture. The favored materials for executing this distinctive “art” decor included bas-relief stucco, keystone, etched glass, a variety of metals, cast concrete, patterned terrazzo, and others. Today this distinctive design vocabulary, which further incorporated glass block, vitrolite and stunning painted wall murals, has become the hallmark of Miami Beach's internationally recognized Art Deco gems.
Moderne Style - Streamline Moderne: 1930’s –1940’s
As “Art Deco” evolved on the Beach in the 1930’s modern transportation and industrial design began to have an even greater impact upon new construction. The “streamlined”character of automobiles, airplanes, trains, buses, liners and even home appliances inspired powerful horizontal design compositions, accentuated by striking vertical features and punctuated by icons of the technological era. Continuous “eyebrows”, racing stripe banding, radio tower-like spires, portholes, and deck railings like those found on grand ocean liners, were among the unique features to set this architecture apart from anything before it. The creative incorporation of nautical themes showed this form of Art Deco to be true to its origins in Miami Beach. Smooth, rounded corners often replaced sharp ones on Moderne buildings, especially on corner lots. “Eyebrows” swept around them as did other details. Street corners became inviting architectural focal points, whether the special treatment employed was based upon curves or angles.
Post War Transitional Art Deco – Post War Deco: 1960
Post War Deco drew significantly from the form and decorative vocabulary of both early Art D e c o i n M i a m i B e a c h a n d M o d e r n e . A l t h o u g h s i n g l e b l o c k m a s s i n g was predominant the emphasis could be placed on either horizontal or vertical composition, dependent upon the size of the structure, the character of the site, and the will of the architect. Frequently, continuous us of eyebrows would be extended to form side or front canopies, either cantilevered or supported on their furthest edge by columns. New decorative materials were introduced which reflected changing tastes nationally, including brick, permastone, and cast architectural block in a variety of “open” patterns. Many of these delightful structures in Ocean Beach paid wonderful tribute to their architectural origins while effectively addressing changing times.
Post World War II Modern Style – Post War Modern: 1965
The Post War Modern style in Miami Beach exhibited many elements of its companion style of the period, Post War Deco, but clearly established a path of its own in terms of modern functional simplicity. Floor plans were commonly reorganized from interior double loaded corridors to “open air” verandas on one side or more. Overhanging roof plates and projecting floor slabs became typical of the new “style” along with paired or clustered pipe columns to support
The Evolution of Deco
Introduction 5
them. Symmetrical staircases became significant exterior design features. Additional design elements and materials were added to the architectural vocabulary, including rounded eaves, rock face feature areas, cast concrete decorative panels, and applied masonry elements denoting marine and nautical themes, such as seahorses and anchors.
Eclectic: 1920’s –1950’s
Eclectic architecture in Miami Beach includes buildings which adopt the style(s) of another time and/or another place selected by the architect, at will, for a purpose. Henry Hohauser’s fanciful English Tudor style cottage located at 321 Collins Avenue is an amazing example of Eclectic architecture in Miami Beach. Its sharp gable roofs, half-frame (exposed) timbers, and Gothic window lintel details are clearly not a part of the natural architectural progression on the Beach, but yet they command the desired attention and assure a special place.
Garden Style: 1940’s –1960’s
The primary defining characteristic of the Garden Style in Miami Beach is that the entryway and public walkways are placed on the exterior, where they are open to the natural elements and surround a common garden area. A large central front entry leads to an open symmetrical staircase, ascending to the upper level(s), and behind it the courtyard. The plan is “U” shape and basically consists of two identical two to three story buildings facing onto a shared central garden/courtyard, often with a fountain in the center, and joined at the rear. Visually and structurally the buildings are united by a grand low pitched gable roof (typically) extending like gull wings across the front and over the open central entryway. The roof plate usually overhangs open walkways below and may be conclude in a rounded eave characteristic of late 1950’s modern architecture in Miami Beach. Architectural ornamentation is generally modest and minimal in the Garden Style, normally consisting of cantilevered balconies with ornamental pierced block railings, and sometimes exuberantly detailed wrought iron rails on stairs and along open walkways. In providing a large central open entry and situating the apartment units facing inward on a common garden area, this important modern building style in Ocean Beach provides a sense of community facilitating greater social interaction and security for its occupants.
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Tropical Deco
CHAPTER 1
The Moderne Movement
I
n the United States, Art Deco was a product of new ideas and movements and found its inspirations in many distinct early 20th Century European design styles such as Cubism, French Art Deco, German Bauhaus and Expressionism, Dutch de Stijl and Amsterdam School, Vienna Secession and others. The term Art Deco came into common usage in the 1980’s as public interest in the style was renewed and is generally used to cover several distinct periods. Art Deco became known as the Skyscraper Style for the buildings that sprang up in every big city in the mid to late 1920’s. This was classical Art Deco, as first popularized at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes held in Paris in 1925, featuring expensive materials, angular yet voluptuous with elaborate motifs of fountains, nudes and flora. Although art deco looks ultra-modern, it dates back to the days of Egyptian tombs. Specifically, the discovery of King Tut’s tomb in the 1920’s opened the door to this enticing style. The stark lines, bold colors and zig-zag architectural features were added to objects placed in the tomb to entertain and enlighten the sleeping kings. This style greatly appealed to Americans, who were going through the “roaring 20’s” and loved the eclectic look. They
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saw it as a symbol of decadence and extravagance, qualities their generation embraced. Art, architecture, jewelry and fashion were all heavily influenced by the bold colors and sharp lines of the movement.
South Beach’s Art Deco Origin South Beach was at the heart of an economic boom in the “Roaring Twenties” when rich families looked for a new way to spend their money on holiday destinations. They embraced “modern” architecture with the same passion as they did modern technologies such as automobiles and radios. To accommodate these visitors, Miami built a compact neighborhood in a style described as linking modernism and consumerism. It was 1910 when John Collins and Carl Fisher undertook the daunting task of transforming the island now known as Miami Beach from a mangrove swamp to a tourist destination. He believed that the mangrove swamp he observed on the coast could be profitable. Together he and Fisher purchased the land, much to the amusement of onlookers. The tremendous project of transforming that swamp into habitable property was a difficult one, but when completed, the resulting present-day Miami Beach kept Collins amused- all the way to the bank! WBy the time they were working on the coast, Ocean Drive, the art deco movement was in full swing. Anyone who was anyone wanted to spend their vacation in the high life of art deco surroundings. Voila-Miami Beach was not only born, but was born to be the place to see and be seen! It has enjoyed this popularity since its inception, and is proving to stand the test of time as year after year people come from all over to enjoy this gift of the pharaohs, art deco.
Drawing Inspiration
The art deco movement drew inspiration from the modern art movements, particularly the concept of multiple points of view of cubism, and the themes of machines and motion in futurism. Art deco also tried to hint at other art forms, like jazz and swing music and the dance fashions of the era. Although it was similar in context and emphasis to the decorative style of “art nouveau,” a stronger connection to modernism distinguished art deco. Unlike art nouveau, it emphasized a functional design based on logic and geometry. The decorative facades of the early art deco period were inspired by the ancient art of Egypt, Assyria, and Persia, in part because of the exciting discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb in 1922. King Tutankhamen’s tomb in the Valley of Kings was a juggernaut in Art Deco history, catalyzing a renewed interest in all things Egyptian, as is evident by the use of sharp triangles and pyramid-like shapes decorating lunettes, niches and miscellaneous nooks and crannies. Other influences were the ancient Mayan and Greek civilizations. The art movement of Cubism was an inspiration for Art Deco. Additional credit goes to the popularity of the burlesque darling Josephine Baker. Embraced by Parisian society, she catalyzed interest in African design and fabrics, which had the zigzag lines and triangular sun rays that molded Art Deco sensibilities. Buildings of this period were also characterized by smooth stucco, clean lines, terrazzo floors, neon lights, and nautical motifs. In addition, with the advancement in travel — highlighted by cross-Atlantic ocean liners and the exploration of flight — speed became a metaphor for modern times. The architecture of the era reflected this. The historic “art deco” district of South Beach, in Miami, Florida, is arguably one of the most successful urban restoration projects in the history of American architecture. Hundreds of buildings have been restored to their early 20th-century appearance.
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The Modern Movement
Miami Beach’s Building Boom The area south of Fifth Street was developed mostly in the 1920’s and 1930’s, and marketed to a middle class Jewish population from the Northeast. The onset of World War II in the US in 1941 ended construction in the area. The hotels were built in the Mediterranean style, but with a new Art Deco twist. Art Deco, as an architectural style, celebrated the new trendiness of culture, made possible by new technology made available to the travelling masses: cruise ships, airplanes, locomotives, the car. The clean industrial lines conjured up the lines of the machines that made travel possible, and the chrome accents reminded people of the chrome accents on cars and trains. The Latin culture got in themix, and gave flair the to the industrial style, such as details around windows, purely cosmetic fixtures on the outside of the buildings. The mix of flat and curved walls and all the ornamentation for which Art Deco is famous, are extensions of the concurrent architectural style called Big City Deco, and of Moderne design. The Art Deco district in South Beach Miami is revered for its unique situation: the buildings in the area are all built on the same scale, the same South Beach architectural style, and there’s a pleasing harmony amongst the buildings, specifically in geometry, color, and style of decoration. You don’t find this many places in the modern world. Art Deco in South Beach is indeed very pleasing: fanciful colors, whimsical ornamentation, human scale, all make for a neighborhood architectural style that is delightful and which evokes feelings of vacation, luxury, fun, and stylishness. It’s almost romantic, while remaining modern and chic. The buildings invite you to have fun and lose your inhibitions in South Beach Miami.
New Resort Glamour
After World War II, when the country began to recover and places like South Beach Miami were returned to civilian life after serving as soldier housing, there was another round of building. Parts of the US population were experiencing newfound wealth and glamour, and South Beach was ready to supply the hotels to fit the lifestyle. The Fountainebleau is the best example of the new resort glamour that began to characterize architectural style in South Beach. Gloss, fantasy, and luxury set the stage for this French Provincial style hotel designed by Morris Lapidus, who incorporated curving staircases to nowhere, glitzy chandeliers, and sweeping curves everywhere. Lapidus once wrote, “If you create a stage and it is grand, everyone who enters will play their part.” He conceived of the ideas for the hotel each morning as he took a subway from Flatbush to his office in Manhattan. The hotel was built by hotelier Ben Novack on the Harvey Firestone estate. Novack owned and operated the hotel until its bankruptcy in 1977. It is not widely known but the hotel actually charged a monetery fee for tourists to view the hotel in all its glory! In the 1970s a suite in the hotel was used by members of the Black Tuna Gang to run their operations. The hotel closed a large part of its property in 2006, though one building remained open to hotel guests, and the furnishings were available for sale. The expanded hotel and its new condominium buildings re-opened in November 2008. On December 22, 2008, the Fontainebleau was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
Modern Appreciation of Art Deco The present good health of buildings in South Beach is due in large part to the influential Miami Design Preservation League (MDPL). The nonprofit organization was founded by Barbara Baer Capitman in 1976. Her vision was: “preserve the architecture and design of the art deco district, and the cultural, social, and economic growth and welfare of the area will follow.” As a measure of the MDPL’s success, 795 of the 800 buildings initially
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registered as having architectural value and in need of renovation have been restored. Herb Sosa, the current executive director of MDPL, explains why he believes restoration in South Beach Miami has been so successful. “A lot had to do with the work of Barbara Baer Capitman who in the 70’s realized the immense potential that these buildings had.” Sosa adds: “It was also the awareness of the private sector of the economic value of restoration. It was difficult at first, but investors soon realized that preservation and restoration was in the interest of everyone, and not just for the benefit of a few fanatical architects.” Frequently architectural restoration and preservation projects are at odds with the economic forces of the private sector. In Miami, restoration of the buildings was what rescued the district from the brink of dereliction. The architectural preservation was the nucleus of South Beach’s economic boom. The Art Deco consistency of color and decoration was interrupted by large gaudy storefront signs and the whole look was really ruined. The pristine white buildings with their colorful ornamentations were painted over in drab colors like beige and brown, and if you were in South Beach Miami at that time, you would realize how large a part color plays in the look of Art Deco and South Beach architectural style. Art Deco needs the color schemes to offset the architectural details, and painting everything brown ruins the look. After the renaissance of South Beach Miami in the 1980’s, the formerly white Art Deco buildings were painted pastel colors, with details and ornamentations painted in contrasting colors. It’s not what the original builders had in mind, but it does keep to the spirit of the architecture, and the buildings were now as beautiful or more beautiful than ever, depending on who you ask. Today, you can see both white styles and the pastel versions when you stroll down the street.
Art Deco Today The guidelines for restoration in South Beach are stringent. The historic preservation board requires that any 1930’s building that was later altered be restored to its original state when it is up for major renovation. These buildings represent two distinct art deco periods. The first period (1926-1938), inspired by ancient architecture, is characterized by sharp, angular geometric forms and stylized natural designs. The second period came during the Great Depression, in the late 30’s to early 40’s. Known as the “streamline period” it was characterized by buildings with more modest ornamentation, curved corners, and a simple mechanical appearance. The Crescent Hotel and the Hotel Webster are strong examples of the first period. The Breakwater Hotel, with its bold vertical tower, and the Essex Hotel with its nautical rounded corners, are from the second. The historic district of South Beach has more than just these art deco styles, however. On Ocean Drive between 5th and 15th Streets, the art deco motif is occasionally punctuated by a structure of the Mediterranean-revival style. This style is characterized by rough stucco finishes, arched windows, and terra cotta roofs. Interior designers involved in the restoration of Miami’s art deco hotels support one of two different approaches. Some follow historic patterns; others express a more contemporary style. In the latter case, the exteriors are historic but the interiors are chic, even sterile in comparison. Clearly targeting the younger generation, the hotels that have merged the old with the new appear to have done so successfully. The newly renovated Hotel Chesterfield is an example of a “boutique hotel” that combines the art deco exterior with a sleek and trendy interior that doesn’t overshadow the historic style, effectively merging designs of the past with the latest fashions.
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The Modern Movement
In Support of Tourism The fact that nearly all of the 800 buildings targeted for renovation have been restored might seem to indicate that the MDPL is no longer needed. However, Sosa says the work of the society is never-ending: “The society’s work is to create awareness and help maintain the structures. We need to promote and build upon what we have achieved.” The Art Deco Welcome Center, guided tours, and exhibitions are all part of the continuous marketing campaign that MDPL promotes. In addition, the society organizes the annual Art Deco Weekend Festival. The festival was established in 1976 to raise awareness and appreciation, not just of art deco architecture, but of all the arts and culture of the era. Today it attracts hundreds of vendors and thousands of visitors. The architectural heritage of South Beach, with its simple geometrical and streamlined themes, highly decorative ornamentation, bright pastel colors, and smooth texture, combine with the intense blue skies and harsh Florida sun to create a feeling of a cartoon-like world. This atmosphere, which the buildings themselves provoke, is appropriate to the “feel-good” tourist environment that Miami thrives on. This is not a “home away from home.” Instead, South Beach is a dreamlike fantasy world where real historic buildings play a leading role.
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