Art Deco is 100.

Art Deco is 100! Yes it is 100 years since the Paris exhibition that launched the name of this most modernistic of styles of architecture, fashion and jewellery that took its cues from geometric shapes and patterns, from Egyptian motifs and from streamlined ideas that incorporated the brightest and boldest of colours.  It was a style that was perfect for the bright young things of the 1920’s Jazz Age, but also worked well with those bias cut styles of the 1930’s era (where most of the episodes of the Agatha Christie Poirot series were set), and then had a massive resurgence in the 1960’s – think Biba with its gold and black logos. 100 years on, it is as popular as ever, although, as it the case of the Oxford Street branch of Marks and Spencer, idiotic public developers are still trying to destroy these most beautiful and iconic of buildings.

This post is today dedicated to looking at some of the lovely, Art Deco buildings and features I saw on a recent trip to Paignton, Devon. Art Deco and the seaside is a match made in heaven, possibly due to the streamline moderne style of the original ocean liners, and the wish to have beautiful, modernistic and bright buildings on the coast. I have already covered English Riviera art deco in a previous post (which you can find here), but on my most recent visit I found a few more buildings, and features that I had not seen on a previous visit.

Public conveniences of 1937, north of Preston Green, Paignton, Devon

From the Historic England Blog:-

A particularly fine example of an Art Deco toilet block with integrated shelter. From the late 19th century, councils invested in public conveniences and other essential infrastructure which enabled visitors to stay longer, and in comfort, at the beach. These also serve the occupants of the neighbouring beach huts.

The Boathouse Restaurant

I can’t find any information about when The Boathouse was built. It is located on the same green as the above toilets, and has a definite art deco style to tie in with the other buildings. It is frequently described as ‘iconic’ and ‘much loved’ though, and may be a later example of art deco by the sea.

The Esplanade Hotel

From Paignton History.home.blog:- In 1930 –

Three Adelphi Terrace became an expanded Hydro Hotel, owned by Mr. Perkiss. This was later renamed the Esplanade Hotel, with a new Art Deco seafront facade; the Sands Road elevation is still a mixture of mock-Tudor and other styles. Today the old Hydro Hotel is the Bay Esplanade Hotel.

A strange, Art Deco pillar on the car park of The Inn on the Green (now closed).

I saw this on an Instagram page, so went to have a look. Intriguing object, no idea of its history and why this car park should have an art deco pillar. The Inn on the Green was

Formerly a 19th-century hotel on the seafront overlooking Paignton Green, the property was originally built as a home for one of Isaac Merritt Singer’s sons. (Torbay Weekly)

Costero Lounge (Former Harvester restaurant)

Harvester restaurants are often in fantastic, art deco style buildings, including the one at nearby Torquay. I’m not sure when this building was built (I’m thinking 1960’s) but now it has had a Miami deco style makeover and has reopened as Costero Lounge.

If anyone has any more details about any of the buildings featured, please leave a comment below.

 

Sharing is caring!