Art Deco is as much of an identifier to South Beach as is the Cuban character of South Miami. The area between 23rd and 1st Street (some say it stops at 5th, but I don’t agree) is where the greatest concentration of these structures lies. There is also quite a bit of restoration, and new buildings going up in the style of the 1920s-1930s era. Even if one is not terribly moved by architecture, the Art Deco District of South Beach is eye candy. And there is a method to the madness, as you will see from some of the pictures below.
The name "Art Deco" is an abbreviated form of a much longer French phrase that was the name of an architectural exposition that took place in the early 20th century. This architectural type was born in Europe and traveled here with the genesis of the industrial revolution. Over the span of the 20 or so years between the two world wars, certain characteristics evolved that were attributed to this movement. Since there were many, I will try to not overwhelm you with minutiae.
One of the most striking is what they call the rule of "three’s". A building’s façade will have three windows, or three bandings of same or contrasting color, or three eyebrows. The latter is thought to have been influenced by the Egyptians. Think of eyebrows as linings over arches. Next are the pastel colors; at times complementary and other times, quite contrasting and bold. The restored and newer buildings sport strong blues, Arizona adobe brick colors that are anything but demure. I couldn’t stop looking at the Portofino Tower, which is a fairly new high-riser at the end of Collins Avenue, which is a marvel of proportion and harmony, and screams turquoise and lobster. Have a look at the photo.
A great influence on the usage of certain materials came with new manufactured materials: you could therefore have a building incorporating etched glass, or glass blocks, wrought iron railings that would simulate ships’ decks, spires reminiscent of radio towers, with slabs of concrete and the ultimate deco signature, the neon light.
The lettering which is associated with Broadway is a child of the Art Deco era. Think of the Brooklyn diner, the Chrysler Building, the AMC theaters - those are all examples of the style.
Right on Ocean Avenue and about 7th Street is the Art Deco Welcome Center. We never went in because we saw it late at night. It most likely will have some literature on the history of the area with the striking examples of each genre. Should you be as fascinated as I am by the subject matter, you could turn to the following websites for more information and photos:
Houses
Echoes
Great Buildings
About Florida