ART DECO

Vivi and Eddie attended the School of Architecture together in Gainesville (University of Florida) for both their Bachelor's and Master's degrees! The discussions and passionate debates about architecture and design throughout our shared years were extensive and fruitful.

This time, they sit down to talk about Art Deco and share THEIR VERSION of MIAMI ART DECO HISTORY!

Art Deco is practically synonymous with Miami Beach! We hear about it everywhere and it's featured in every tourism brochure. But what exactly is Art Deco, why is it so important to our city, and how valuable is the preservation of this style to us?

Art Deco is the name given to a style that originated in France within the realm of Decorative Arts. It made its way to the United States through New York, where its greatest expression can be seen in the beautiful Chrysler Building on 42nd Street, facing the famous Grand Central Station. Vivi's first architectural job was actually on the 70th floor of her favorite building, The Chrysler Building, back in 2000! In fact, the architectural firm where she worked hosted the closet where William Van Alen concealed the spire of the building, just to secure its title as the tallest building for one year, because the Empire State Building was completed the following year!

Art Deco arrived in Miami Beach around the 1930s, during the Great Depression. This sophisticated and elegant architectural style, along with furniture, textiles, and jewelry, reached here in a more "light" fashion compared to New York, utilizing pastel colors. Shades of duck yellow, turquoise, pink, and baby blue evoked joy and optimism. The architecture aimed to uplift people and help them forget their troubles, transforming a society enduring difficult times.

Art Deco is characterized by the use of perfect geometric figures such as squares, triangles, curved lines, circles, straight lines, and sharp angles, creating a sophisticated aesthetic.

In Miami Beach, it took on many nautical motifs, likely due to being a seaside resort, giving a playful touch with buildings resembling cruise ships, lighthouses, and more.

There was also significant influence from the fauna and flora abundant in Florida, with stylized palm trees, fanshaped shells, mangroves, and more.

Dazzling and sumptuous materials were utilized, including gilded and copper, bronze, high and low reliefs, moldings, Eyebrows to emphasize the shadows casted and marbles of various colors

In this first issue of the magazine, we wanted to initiate this conversation. We will continue exploring the city and showcasing the best examples of what has become the emblematic architecture of South Beach!

We deeply appreciate the efforts made in 1976 to preserve these buildings through the Miami Design Preservation League (MDPL). The MDPL is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation, promotion, and protection of the architectural and cultural heritage of Miami Beach, with a particular focus on the preservation of the Art Deco district Founded in 1976, the MDPL has played a crucial role in the preservation and revitalization of Art Deco buildings in the area, advocating for their protection, educating the public, and fostering appreciation. The MDPL works closely with local authorities, building owners, and the community at large to ensure the preservation and maintenance of these valuable architectural treasures It is located at 1001 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Lately, we have heard that this might be in jeopardy due to a new law We will bring you more information on the topic.

Miami Beach holds the Guinness World Record for having the largest collection of Art Deco buildings in the world There are over 800 Art Deco buildings in South Beach!

We hope you enjoyed this brief introduction as much as we did!

by Vivi Klinar

R T D E C O