The International Art Deco congress will be held in Melbourne
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Art Deco city
http://www.theage.com.au/news/nation...777281527.html
Cameron Houston
January 6, 2007
CONSIDER the cool curves of Art Deco architecture and the image that springs to mind is more likely to be New York's Chrysler building than the Myer building in Bourke Street.
But while Melburnians may have been slow to notice the city's Art Deco inheritance, they seem to be making up for it now. Art Deco apartments are suddenly prime property, and
Melbourne has been chosen to stage the ninth International Art Deco Congress in April.
Barry Humphries, one of Melbourne's most outspoken architectural critics and renowned collector of Art Deco antiques, has been appointed patron of the biennial event, which is expected to attract devotees from around the world.
Art Deco Society president Robin Grow said Melbourne has some of the finest examples of the architectural style, which had its genesis in 1925 at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, and became one of the major design influences of the 20th century.
Definitions vary, but Mr Grow said Art Deco design was characterised by the clean, geometric lines that replaced the ornate decorations of the Edwardian and Victorian eras.
Because it coincided with the advent of mass production, Art Deco design shaped the interiors of buildings and even influenced consumer items such as refrigerators, toasters and crockery.
"Its influence has been pervasive and you can see it in virtually anything, from furniture to jewellery to industrial design," Mr Grow said.
While Art Deco, or moderne, is usually associated with the period between the world wars, the unique style has attracted a legion of new admirers.
South Yarra real estate agent Philippe Batters said Art Deco apartments were the "hottest ticket in property design" among generation X buyers.
"It becomes a real passion and they spend a small fortune decking their houses out with the Art Deco furniture, sculpture and art," he said. "Art Deco apartments, particularly those that have remained authentic, are commanding top dollar and are probably more in demand than Victorian properties at the moment."
But it has not always been the case, according to Mr Grow, who says heritage groups were slow to recognise the significance of Art Deco to Melbourne. "People are quick to jump to the defence of Edwardian or Victorian buildings, but anything built after the First World War does not seem to generate the same response."
The Art Deco Society has played a major role in the preservation of Art Deco-inspired buildings, ensuring that renovation work remained loyal to the moderne style. Last year it successfully nominated the Myer buildings in Bourke Street to the Victorian Heritage Register.
Phillip Goad, a professor of architecture at Melbourne University, said many of Melbourne's department stores were built during the boom period following the First World War and provided some of the best examples of Art Deco and commercial Gothic. The Manchester Unity building, Mitchell House and the McPherson building encapsulated the architectural style.
He said Melbourne rated well on an international basis, with Los Angeles, New York, Buenos Aires and Cape Town all havens for enthusiasts. Napier, in New Zealand's North Island, is considered by many as the international centre of the Art Deco movement, after it was badly damaged by an earthquake in 1931 and remodelled.
The congress in Melbourne will include presentations, lectures and tours of some of the city's most prominent Art Deco buildings and several hidden treasures in North Balwyn, Elwood and the Dandenongs.
http://www.artdeco.org.au
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