Streamline Moderne
A 1930s architectural and design style marked by rounded forms, horizontal lines, smooth surfaces, and nautical or aerodynamic details.
Art Deco: A decorative design movement associated with geometric forms, rich materials, and modern luxury. Streamline Moderne developed as a streamlined, less ornamented expression of Art Deco.
Great Depression: A severe worldwide economic downturn that began in 1929 and lasted through much of the 1930s. The downturn encouraged economical materials and designs that conveyed modern optimism.
Miami Beach Architectural District: A historic district in Miami Beach, Florida, containing a large collection of twentieth-century architecture. Its hotels and commercial buildings form a celebrated concentration of Streamline Moderne.
International Style: A modern architectural style characterized by functional planning, unornamented surfaces, and geometric forms. Its rectilinear abstraction contrasts with Streamline Moderne’s curves and transport imagery.
Aerodynamics: The study of how air moves around objects and the forces it exerts. Aerodynamic forms supplied a visual language of speed and efficiency.
Streamline design: A design approach that uses smooth, flowing forms associated with reduced resistance and efficient motion. The architectural style belonged to a broader movement across products and transport.
Greyhound Lines: An American intercity bus company founded in 1914. Streamlined buses and stations made the style part of American travel culture.
Bauhaus: A German school of art, design, and architecture founded by Walter Gropius in 1919. Bauhaus design favored functional geometry over the style’s rounded, aerodynamic motifs.
Porthole: A round window set into a ship’s hull or another structure. Circular windows made buildings evoke ships and ocean liners.
Raymond Loewy: A French-born American industrial designer known for influential streamlined products and commercial designs. His popular designs helped spread streamlining beyond architecture.