Description
The 1925 Paris Exposition des Artes Decoratif is generally credited as the inspiration for expressing architectural modernity through the Art Deco style. The verticality of buildings was emphasized in the late 1920s and 1930s by rectilinear, geometric surface ornamentation. Wall surfaces were smooth and usually of stucco. Other characteristics of the Art Deco style are towers or other vertical projections above the roofline, symmetrical facades, and a unique form of ornamentation consisting of zig-zags, chevrons, sunbursts, spirals, and/or stylized plant and animal motifs, abstract arabesques, elongated ovals, and octagonal panels. In Palm Beach County, sleek themes are seen representing tropical, nautical, masculine, and stylized motifs that reflect speed and technology. Elements include eyebrows, flat roofs, porthole windows, rounded corners, columns, glass blocks, bandings, multiples of three, and Zig-Zag steps. Palm Beach County has dozens of Art Deco treasures built throughout the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, which are located in the downtowns of Delray Beach up through West Palm Beach. Art Deco architecture found in Palm Beach County is spread out rather than concentrated in one location. These buildings are significant to the history of South Florida because they represent some of the earliest structures ever built in the area. These remarkable gems are in danger of being demolished due to the ever-increasing amount of development throughout the county.
