Downtown Minneapolis Art Deco

Art Deco is the name applied to the “modern” style of the 1920s and 30s. The term comes from a 1925 Paris exhibition: “Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes” and is used to describe architecture as well as a wide range of household and art objects. The style took inspiration from the aerodynamic forms of airplanes, trains, and ocean liners that, at the time, represented the latest technology. At the same time Art Deco embraced modern materials, such as aluminum, glass, and concrete that became practical due to advances in industrial technology.

Art Deco architecture is also called Moderne and is further divided into three sub-styles that became popular in time order: Zig Zag Moderne, Streamline Moderne, and PWA (Public Works Administration) Moderne.

The earliest form, the Zig Zag Moderne, represented a break from the earlier Art Nouveau style by rejecting sensuous curvilinear lines in favor of faceted geometric forms. It also either rejected outright or included in simplified forms such classical details as columns, pediments, and friezes. For example, a classical column was often represented as nothing more than a series of parallel vertical lines (to suggest fluting). Zig Zag Moderne also took inspiration from the discovery of King Tut’s Tomb in Egypt (excavated beginning in 1922) and the excavation of the Ziggurat at Ur (southern Iraq; excavated 1922 to 1934).

The Streamline Moderne Style developed in the early 1930’s and reflected the aerodynamic designs of ocean liners and aircraft. Rather than the geometric forms of the Zig Zag, this style featured smooth rounded surfaces with fewer references to classical orders.

During the Great Depression and as late as the early 1940s, when private construction was nearly at a standstill, the federal government stimulated the economy by funding construction of publicly owned buildings such as courthouses, post offices, and armories. These buildings often feature the PWA Moderne style, which sometimes includes features of Beaux Arts Classicism such as bilateral symmetry, but with stripped down and simplified ornament. Like the Streamline Moderne, the PWA style included large expanses of smooth surface, seeking to impress with power rather than detail. Also, some buildings were embellished with murals created by artists supported under the Depression-era Works Progress Administration (WPA).

Downtown Minneapolis is home to several excellent examples of the Moderne Style, which can be toured conveniently on foot or bicycle.