Art Deco in Miami
Take a stroll down Ocean Drive in South Beach Miami and discover its iconic and colorful Art Deco district.
Almost looks like one of those cruise boats in the harbor.
"Did I die and go to heaven?" "Yeah, I am afraid you did Myrtle!" Credit: Warner Bros.
Art Deco is cool but probably not the most popularly known architectural current by most people. We have all recently gotten a bit of a reminder however with Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby a few years ago (though it focused mostly on interiors and accessories which were all just amazing). But focusing on the exteriors, we have classic examples in NYC with the Empire State Building, or the Sears Tower in Mexico City. The style was popular in the 20s-30s and then faded; it still makes for amazing architecture and beautiful collectibles (just take a look on Pinterest).
One of the main characteristics of AD is sophistication and total glam. The look is fiercely modern and sleek, with the focus on geometric and ornate designs. Think straight lines and curves, with accents of gold and intense pastel color.
Splendid diver at the National Hotel
The district is a collection of beautifully preserved and vibrant hotels dating from the 1920s and 1930s. You can pay a quick visit to the Art Deco welcome center, also hosting a small museum, grab a map and go on a self-guided tour along Ocean Drive. The hotels line up the street, standing next to one another as if nested in a colorful jewelry box. Mostly pastel color, with some neon accents, and the occasional native american inspired ornaments.
Colors that revive tired eyes.
The colors and shapes, almost lego like for some, are really nice on the eyes. Some of the hotels are still in activity and it would definitely be worth booking there to get the real authentic and vintage Miami experience.
All is right for symmetry addicts.
The tour was a pretty short walk, taking me around 2 hours, what with the multiple stops to take a billion pictures or taking a peek inside and check out the interiors.
I really enjoyed taking doing this tour and would definitely recommend it for those looking for a break from the usual South Beach party scene. It is walking down memory lane but this time in Technicolor. Enjoy the following snaps of notable Art Deco features!
