Art Deco is an artistic and design style that emerged in Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, reaching its peak in the 1920s and 1930s. Although it's difficult to identify a single origin for Art Deco, it's believed that the style developed as a reaction against the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau movements, which emphasized craftsmanship and naturalistic ornamentation. The style quickly spread throughout the world and had a major influence on architecture, interior design, fashion, and visual arts during the first half of the 20th century.
The influence of the Art Deco style on contemporary architecture is evident in many modern buildings around the world. Many architects and designers continue to use the distinctive features of Art Deco in their designs, from geometric shapes and ornamentation to symmetry and luxurious materials. Additionally, some contemporary buildings combine elements of Art Deco with other architectural styles, creating a hybrid design that is truly unique. Although contemporary architecture has evolved and adopted new trends, the influence of Art Deco remains a powerful force in the world of design and architecture.
In Mexico, this influence is particularly notable due to the large number of buildings in this style that were built in the country during the 1920s and 1930s. In cities such as Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, Art Deco buildings became a popular form of architectural expression. Although the Art Deco style fell out of use after the 1940s, the influence of the style remains evident in many modern buildings in Mexico. Architects and designers continue to use distinctive Art Deco elements such as symmetry, detailed ornamentation, and luxurious materials to create buildings that combine the old with the new. In many cases, original Art Deco buildings in Mexico have been restored and transformed into iconic places, demonstrating the lasting influence of this style in the country's contemporary architecture.
Some of the distinctive characteristics of Art Deco in architecture include:
- The use of geometric shapes, such as triangles, circles, and squares, in facades and decorative details.
- The use of materials such as glass, marble, steel, gold, silver, and aluminum.
- The use of juxtaposed contrasts, such as combining smooth, polished surfaces with textured, rough surfaces.
- Detailed and ornamented decoration, often including stylized motifs inspired by industrial machinery, fashion, and popular culture.
- The use of bright and contrasting colors such as black, gold, and silver, to create dramatic effects.
- The use of geometric shapes such as triangles, rectangles, and circles to create lattices, windows, or openings.
- Symmetry and bold design relying on curved shapes, straight lines, and combined forms such as can be seen in some of the helical staircases that adorn the buildings."
Below is a list of interior spaces in Mexico at different scales that will help you better understand the influence of this style in contemporary architecture.
San Ignacio House / Amarillo Amate Arquitectura
Milton House / Estudio Atemporal
Deco House / Taller Mexicano de Arquitectura
PH Masaryk 203 Offices / Álvaro Hernández Félix Studio
Main Room / em-estudio
Pargot Restaurant / RA!
SMA-GSM Offices / Sordo Madaleno Arquitectos
Ríos Jewelry Store / ALMA de Arquitectos
Kering Offices / FR-EE / Fernando Romero Enterprise
Leonora Studio / VOID Studio
Meloso Restaurant / t-unoauno + arqaz arquitectura
Corporate GM / estudio ALA
MO47 Building / ZD+A
El Moro / Cadena + Asociados
Los Alexis Taco Place / RA!
Escandón Terrace / PALMA
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