I think BedHead's description of Art Deco is spot on, and is very important when trying to draw comparisons between time periods. I think there's confusion in this thread about the differences between Art Deco, Modernism, and Post Modernism.
The new "Art Deco" buildings posted here are actually Post Modern buildings. At first they might look similar (though to be honest, I don't know how anyone could think the buildings posted weren't built in the last few decades), but beyond that, they're completely different. The Post Modern buildings reference (but don't copy) the historical style to associate the collective cultural meaning of that style with that building, or maybe to be contextual, or for some other reason.
As far as Art Deco and Modernism, Art Deco did not contribute anything to modernism. Modernism and Art Deco were generally developed around the same time, or if anything, Modernism predates Art Deco. It's just that the US was about 30 years behind the times.
The Bauhaus's Dessau building, in 1926. Photo by
96dpi
Some from the 1930s:
Pavillon Suisse
Ministry of Health & Education
[q]The reason art deco is inspiring is not just because of the beauty of the style itself, but also because its reminiscent of a time when scientific and industrial progress, celebration of the advances thereof, such as major transportation developments, all of this stuff was part of civic culture and people were on a mission of doing great things...[/q]
In the US, many modern projects were like the projects of the 30s on steroids. Extensive urban renewal projects, highway projects, rebuilt government buildings, rebuilt corporate offices, new modernist civic plazas, etc. all of these were meant to be monuments to the new post-war utopia that they were trying to transform their cities into.
Not only that, but progressiveness is part of the essence of modernism. Scientific and industrial progress was embraced in the form of new building technology, intended to both raise the standard of living, and to make such buildings available to more people. At the same time, new developments and interests in sociology, philosophy and other fields were supposed to be applied to the built environment, to also raise the standard of living. What innovations did art deco introduce, except for setbacks? How did art deco contribute to the urban community?
[q]...even though the economy was in the crapper.[/q]
Modernism was primarily developed in Europe, rebuilding from the ashes of World War 1 and World War 2.
[q]Most modern glass and steel architecture is a direct result of developers not wanting to spend extra money on ornamentation and things like civic pride and its reflection on urban community projects can't compare to what they were during the art deco era and before.[/q]
Developers have always tried to maximize profit, and I think just at different times in history, the economic justification for investing extra money has changed (for example, nowadays you *could* use a lot of ornament, but no one would be willing to pay the high rents to cover the cost. Or maybe you could cut out air conditioning and move the money over to ornament, but no one would put up with that either). Developers will pay as little as possible to make as much as possible. Speculative buildings have always been the same in that regard.
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