Art Deco architecture is a label applied to buildings that in theirday were considered modern. There were many definitions and ideas aboutwhat modern should look like and these differing interpretations ofmodern can be seen in the architectural masterpieces of the time.

Thereare many examples of Art Deco architecture in the United sates. Buildings such as the Chrysler Building and Empire State Building areArt Deco in style and construction.  The Golden Gate Bridge is anexcellect example of an Art Deco structure that has inspired many andbecome a symbol for its city, San Fransisco and for the country..The Art Deco movement heavily influenced many architects and was thefoundation for some extraordinary architectural achievements.

Inthe industrialized world, the early years of the twentieth century andthe beginning of the Art Deco movement were filled with promise, fueledby prosperity, and driven by technology. A new age demanded newarchitecture. The Art Deco movement incorporated and expanded uponother movements in architecture and art; including Constructivism,Cubism, Modernism, Bauhaus, Art Nouveau, and Futurism. Its popularitypeaked during the Roaring Twenties. Although many design movements havepolitical or philosophical roots or intentions, Art Deco was purelydecorative. At the time, this style was seen as elegant, functional,and ultra modern.

The Exposition Internationale des ArtsDecoratifs et Industrials Modernes (Paris, 1925) was the firstopportunity for many people to see and learn about the Art Decomovement and set the stylistic tone of early Art Deco.  Itinspired buildings based on earlier neo-classical styles but with theapplication of exotic motifs such as flora and fauna, fountains andchevrons, typically arranged in geometric patterns.  Art Deco has beendescirbed as luxurious, elegant and dramatic while still beingaccessible to ordinary people.