Streamline Moderne is an international style of

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

architecture and design that emerged in the 1930s. Inspired by

aerodynamic Aerodynamics () is the study of the motion of atmosphere of Earth, air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dynamics and its subfield of gas dynamics, and is an ...

design, it emphasized curving forms, long horizontal lines, and sometimes nautical elements. In industrial design, it was used in railroad locomotives, telephones, buses, appliances, and other devices to give the impression of sleekness and modernity. In France, it was called the ''style paquebot'', or "ocean liner style", and was influenced by the design of the luxury ocean liner SS ''Normandie'', launched in 1932.

Influences and origins

As the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

of the 1930s progressed, Americans saw a new aspect of

, i.e., streamlining, a concept first conceived by

industrial design Industrial design is a process of design applied to physical Product (business), products that are to be manufactured by mass production. It is the creative act of determining and defining a product's form and features, which takes place in adva ...

ers who stripped Art Deco design of its ornament in favor of the aerodynamic pure-line concept of motion and speed developed from scientific thinking. The cylindrical forms and long horizontal windowing in architecture may also have been influenced by the

New Objectivity The New Objectivity (in ) was a movement in German art that arose during the 1920s as a reaction against German Expressionism, expressionism. The term was coined by Gustav Friedrich Hartlaub, the director of the ''Kunsthalle Mannheim, Kunsthalle' ...

artists — a movement connected to the German Werkbund — and by Futurist architecture of the early 20th century. Examples of this style include the 1923 Mossehaus, the reconstruction of the corner of a Berlin office building in 1923 by

Erich Mendelsohn Erich Mendelsohn (); 21 March 1887 – 15 September 1953) was a German-British architect, known for his expressionist architecture in the 1920s, as well as for developing a dynamic functionalism in his projects for department stores and cinem ...

and

Richard Neutra Richard Joseph Neutra ( ; 8 April 1892 – 16 April 1970) was an Austrian-American architect. Living and building for most of his career in Southern California, he came to be considered a prominent and important modernist architect. His most ...

. The Streamline Moderne was sometimes a reflection of the austere economic times; sharp angles were replaced with simple, aerodynamic curves, and ornament was replaced with smooth

concrete Concrete is a composite material composed of aggregate bound together with a fluid cement that cures to a solid over time. It is the second-most-used substance (after water), the most–widely used building material, and the most-manufactur ...

and

glass Glass is an amorphous (non-crystalline solid, non-crystalline) solid. Because it is often transparency and translucency, transparent and chemically inert, glass has found widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in window pane ...

. The style was the first to incorporate electric light into architectural structure. In the first-class dining room of the SS ''Normandie'', fitted out 1933–35, twelve tall pillars of Lalique glass, and 38 columns lit from within illuminated the room. The Strand Palace Hotel foyer (1930), preserved from demolition by the

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...

during 1969, was one of the first uses of internally lit architectural glass, and coincidentally was the first Moderne interior preserved in a

museum A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or Preservation (library and archive), preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private colle ...

Architecture

Streamline Moderne appeared most often in buildings related to transportation and movement, such as bus and train stations, airport terminals, roadside cafes, and port buildings. It had characteristics common with

modern architecture Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, or the modern movement, is an architectural movement and style that was prominent in the 20th century, between the earlier Art Deco and later postmodern movements. Modern architectur ...

, including a horizontal orientation, rounded corners, the use of glass brick walls or porthole windows, flat roofs, chrome-plated hardware, and horizontal grooves or lines in the walls. They were frequently white or in subdued pastel colors. An example of this style is the Aquatic Park Bathhouse in the Aquatic Park Historic District, in San Francisco. Built beginning in 1936 by the

Works Progress Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; from 1935 to 1939, then known as the Work Projects Administration from 1939 to 1943) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to car ...

, it features the distinctive horizontal lines, classic rounded corners railing and windows of the style, resembling the elements of ship. The interior preserves much of the original decoration and detail, including murals by artist and color theoretician

Hilaire Hiler Hilaire Harzberg Hiler (July 16, 1898 – January 19, 1966) was an American artist, psychologist, and color theoretician who worked in Europe and United States during the mid-20th century. At home and abroad, Hiler worked as a muralist, jazz mu ...

. The architects were William Mooser Jr. and William Mooser III. It is now the administrative center of Aquatic Park Historic District. The

Normandie Hotel The Normandie Hotel is a historic building located in the Isleta de San Juan, in San Juan, Puerto Rico which opened on October 10, 1942 as a hotel. Its design was inspired by the French transatlantic passenger ship SS ''Normandie'' in addition ...

San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan ( , ; Spanish for "Saint John the Baptist, John") is the capital city and most populous Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the ...

, which opened during 1942, is built in the stylized shape of the ocean liner SS ''Normandie'', and displays the ship's original sign. The Sterling Streamliner Diners in

New England New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...

were

diner A diner is a type of restaurant found across the United States and Canada, as well as parts of Western Europe and Australia. Diners offer a wide range of cuisine, mostly American cuisine, a casual atmosphere, and, characteristically, a comb ...

s designed like streamlined trains. Another example is

Hollywood, California Hollywood, sometimes informally called Tinseltown, is a List of districts and neighborhoods in Los Angeles, neighborhood and district in the Central Los Angeles, central region of Los Angeles County, California, within the city of Los Angeles. ...

's Julian Medical Building, which has been described as a "landmark", "an architectural masterpiece", and "one of the crowning achievements of Streamline Moderne." The building's distinctive features include a rounded Moderne corner, windswept tower, and pylon-separated horizontally-reinforced windows. Although Streamline Moderne houses are less common than streamline commercial buildings, residences do exist. The Lydecker House in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, built by Howard Lydecker, is an example of Streamline Moderne design in residential architecture. In tract development, elements of the style were sometimes used as a variation in postwar row housing in San Francisco's Sunset District. File:Julian medical bldg.jpg, Julian Medical Building in

, by Morgan, Walls & Clements (1934) File:Coca-Cola Building Los Angeles.jpg, Coca-Cola factory in

by Robert V. Derrah (1936) File:East Finchley Station - geograph.org.uk - 909900.jpg,

East Finchley Tube station East Finchley is a London Underground station in East Finchley in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is on the High Barnet tube station, High Barnet branch of the Northern line, between Finchley Central tube station, Finch ...

, London (1937) File:Hecht warehouse washington dc.jpg, Hecht Company Warehouse in northeast

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

(1937) File:Pan-Pacific Auditorium entrance.jpg,

Pan-Pacific Auditorium The Pan-Pacific Auditorium was a landmark structure in the Fairfax District, Los Angeles, California, Fairfax District of Los Angeles, California. It once stood near the site of Gilmore Field, an early Los Angeles baseball venue predating Dodger ...

in Los Angeles, California (1935–1989) File:LaGuardia MarineAirTerminal 1974.jpg,

Marine Air Terminal The Marine Air Terminal (also known as Terminal A) is an airport terminal at LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York City, United States. Its main building, designed in the Art Deco style by William Delano of the firm Delano & Aldrich, opened in ...

LaGuardia Airport LaGuardia Airport ( ) – colloquially known as LaGuardia or simply LGA – is a civil airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, situated on the North Shore (Long Island), northwestern shore of Long Island, bord ...

, New York (1939) File:Hotel Shangri-La Santa Monica.jpg, Hotel Shangri-La (1939), Santa Monica, California File:Greyhound Station Columbia SC LOC 570829cu.jpg, Greyhound Bus Station, Columbia, South Carolina (1936–1939) File:Union Pacific Station, Las Vegas, Nevada (74656).jpg, The

Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad is a Railroad classes, Class I freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Pacific is the second largest railroad in the United Stat ...

station (mid-1930s, demolished 1971) File:First Church of Deliverance 2.jpg, Streamline Moderne church, First Church of Deliverance, Chicago, Illinois, by Walter T. Bailey. (Opened 1939, façade towers added 1948) File:Studio of National Broadcasting System, at night, Radio City, Hollywood, Calif (67295).jpg, Night image, NBC Hollywood Studios (also known as "Radio City Hollywood") at

Sunset Sunset (or sundown) is the disappearance of the Sun at the end of the Sun path, below the horizon of the Earth (or any other astronomical object in the Solar System) due to its Earth's rotation, rotation. As viewed from everywhere on Earth, it ...

and

Vine A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent (that is, climbing) stems, lianas, or runners. The word ''vine'' can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work.Jackson; Benjamin; Da ...

(1938) File:Bluff Park Histric Photo circa 1960.jpg, Bluff Park Historic District, Long Beach, CA

Paquebot style

In France, the style was called ''Paquebot'', meaning

ocean liner An ocean liner is a type of passenger ship primarily used for transportation across seas or oceans. Ocean liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes (such as for pleasure cruises or as hospital ships). The ...

. The French version was inspired by the launch of the ocean liner '' Normandie'' in 1935, which featured an Art Deco dining room with columns of Lalique crystal. Buildings using variants of the style appeared in Belgium and in Paris, notably in a building at 3 boulevard Victor in the 15th arrondissement, by the architect Pierre Patout. He was one of the founders of the Art Deco style. He designed the entrance to the Pavilion of a Collector at the 1925 Exposition of Decorative Arts, the birthplace of the style. He was also the designer of the interiors of three ocean liners, the '' Ile-de-France'' (1926), the '' L'Atlantique'' (1930), and the '' Normandie'' (1935). Patout's building on Avenue Victor lacked the curving lines of the American version of the style, but it had a narrow "bow" at one end, where the site was narrow, long balconies like the decks of a ship, and a row of projections like smokestacks on the roof. Another 1935 Paris apartment building at 1 Avenue Paul Doumer in the 16th arrondissement had a series of terraces modelled after the decks of an ocean liner. The

Flagey Building The Flagey Building (; ), also known as the Radio House (; ), is a building located in Ixelles, a municipality of Brussels, Belgium, housing the Flagey cultural centre. It is located on the south-western corner of the Place Eugène Flagey/Eug ...

was built on the

Place Eugène Flagey The (French language, French, ) or (Dutch language, Dutch), usually shortened to the Place Flagey, or Flagey by locals, is a Town square, square in the Ixelles municipality of Brussels, Belgium. It bears the name of a former mayor of Ixelles, ...

Ixelles (French language, French, ) or (Dutch language, Dutch, ) is one of the List of municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located to the south-east of Pentagon (Brussels), Brusse ...

(Brussels), Belgium, in 1938, in the ''paquebot'' style, and has been nicknamed "Packet Boat" or "paquebot". It was designed by , and selected as the winning design in an architectural competition to create a building to house the former headquarters of the Belgian National Institute of Radio Broadcasting (INR/NIR). The building was extensively renovated, and in 2002, it reopened as a

cultural centre A cultural center or cultural centre is an organization, building or complex that promotes culture and arts. Cultural centers can be neighborhood community arts organizations, private facilities, government-sponsored, or activist-run. Africa * ...

known as Le Flagey. File:SS Normandie (ship, 1935) interior.jpg, Main dining room of the ocean liner S.S. ''Normandie'' by Pierre Patout (1935) File:Immeuble de Pierre Patout Bd Victor Paris XV.jpg, ''Paquebot'' building at 3 boulevard Victor, 15th arrondissement, Paris by Patout (1935) File:Ancien Institut national de Radiodiffusion - vue d'ensemble.JPG,

(or ''Radio House''),

(Brussels), Belgium (1938)

Automobiles

The defining event for streamline moderne design in the United States was the 1933–34 Chicago World's Fair, which introduced the style to the general public. The new automobiles adapted the smooth lines of ocean liners and airships, giving the impression of efficiency, dynamism, and speed. The grills and windshields tilted backwards, cars sat lower and wider, and they featured smooth curves and horizontal speed lines. Examples include the 1934 Chrysler Airflow and the 1934 Studebaker Land Cruiser. The cars also featured new materials, including

bakelite Bakelite ( ), formally , is a thermosetting polymer, thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, formed from a condensation reaction of phenol with formaldehyde. The first plastic made from synthetic components, it was developed by Belgian chemist ...

plastic,

formica ''Formica'' is a genus of ants of the subfamily Formicinae, including species commonly known as wood ants, mound ants, thatching ants, and field ants. ''Formica'' is the type genus of the Formicidae, and of the subfamily Formicinae. The type ...

, Vitrolight opaque glass,

stainless steel Stainless steel, also known as inox, corrosion-resistant steel (CRES), or rustless steel, is an iron-based alloy that contains chromium, making it resistant to rust and corrosion. Stainless steel's resistance to corrosion comes from its chromi ...

, and enamel, which gave the appearance of newness and sleekness. Other later examples include the 1950

Nash Ambassador The Nash Ambassador is a luxury automobile produced by Nash Motors from 1927 until 1957. It was a top trim level for the first five years, then from 1932 on a standalone model. Ambassadors were lavishly equipped and beautifully constructed, ear ...

"Airflyte" sedan with its distinctive low fender lines, as well as Hudson's postwar cars, such as the Commodore, that "were distinctive streamliners—ponderous, massive automobiles with a style all their own". File:Rumpler (31713119053).jpg, The

Rumpler Tropfenwagen The Rumpler Tropfenwagen ("Rumpler drop car", named after its raindrop shape) was a car developed by Austrian engineer Edmund Rumpler. The Tropfenwagen Aerodynamics Rumpler, born in Vienna, was known as a designer of aircraft when at the 1921 Ber ...

(1921) was designed by Edmund Rumpler, who was initially an aircraft designer File:Sportovní vůz Supersport.gif, The 1931 WIKOV Supersport, Prostějov

Moravia Moravia ( ; ) is a historical region in the eastern Czech Republic, roughly encompassing its territory within the Danube River's drainage basin. It is one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia. The medieval and early ...

was one of the first produced truly aerodynamically designed automobiles. File:1933_Pierce-Arrow_Silver_Arrow_V-12_(9513966700).jpg, The 1933 Pierce Silver Arrow File:Tatra 77A dutch licence registration AM-44-01 pic10.JPG, The 1934

Tatra 77 The Tatra 77 (T77) is one of the first serial-produced, truly aerodynamically-designed automobiles, produced by Czechoslovak company Tatra (company), Tatra from 1934 to 1938. It was developed by Hans Ledwinka and Paul Jaray, the Zeppelin aerodynam ...

was one of the first serial-produced truly aerodynamically designed automobiles. File:1934ChryslerAirflow.jpg, 1934 Chrysler Airflow File:1934 Studebaker Commander Land Cruiser Sedan (4000265550).jpg, Studebaker Land Cruiser (1934) Stout Scarab 2.jpg, Stout Scarab (1935) on display at Houston Fine Arts Museum Bugatti Aérolithe AV.jpg,

Bugatti Automobiles Ettore Bugatti was a German then French automotive industry, manufacturer of high performance vehicle, high-performance automobiles. The company was founded in 1909 in the then-German Empire, German city of Molsheim, Alsace, by the ...

Aérolithe (1936) Cord 812 1937.jpg, 1937

Cord Automobile Cord was a brand of American luxury automobile manufactured by the Auburn Automobile Company of Connersville, Indiana, from 1929 to 1932 and again in 1936 and 1937. Auburn was wholly owned by the Cord Corporation, founded and run by E. L. Co ...

1938 Talbot Teardrop SS 150 (7412440580).jpg, Talbot Teardrop SS 150 (1938) Schlörwagen without the Russian aircraft power unit.jpg, 1939 Schlörwagen - Subsequent wind tunnel tests yielded a drag coefficient of 0.113 File:1939 Dodge TE32 table top (6333330869).jpg, 1939 Dodge 'Job Rated' streamline model truck File:1946 Chevrolet DP ½-ton truck, front left.jpg, 1946 Chevrolet DP ½-ton 'Art Deco' pickup File:T603 MockUp.jpg, 1955 Tatra 603 The last prototype in Kopřivnice

Planes, boats and trains

Streamlining became a widespread design practice for aircraft, railroad locomotives, and ships. File:Kalakala.jpg, MV ''Kalakala'', the first streamlined ferry boat (1935) Fliegender Hamburger 01.JPG, Hamburg Flyer (1932) File:NS DE III in het grijs te Utrecht CS.jpg, ''Diesel III'',

the Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

(1934) File:Dampflokomotive der Baureihe 05 Der neue Brockhaus 1938.jpg, DRG Class 05 (1935), world speed record for steam locomotives in 1936 File:Cleveland Mercury ticket New York Central 1938.JPG, Mercury locomotive designed by

Henry Dreyfuss Henry Dreyfuss (March 2, 1904 – October 5, 1972) was an American industrial designer. He is known for designing the Western Electric Model 500 telephone, the Westclox Big Ben alarm clock, and the Honeywell T87 Round Thermostat. Career Drey ...

(1936) File:6229 Duchess of Hamilton at the National Railway Museum.jpg, Duchess of Hamilton locomotive (1938) File:PCC-Chicago-4.jpg, Chicago PCC car File:M 290.002 Slovenská strela, Žleby zastávka – Žleby 02.jpg, 1936 M 290.0 Slovenská Strela speed train, Czechoslovakia. Slovenská strela was manufactured by Tatra Kopřivnice in

in 1936 for Czechoslovak State Railways.

Industrial design

Streamline style can be contrasted with functionalism, which was a leading design style in Europe at the same time. One reason for the simple designs in functionalism was to lower the production costs of the items, making them affordable to the large European working class. Streamlining and functionalism represent two different schools in modernistic

. File:Ericsson bakelittelefon 1931.jpg, The first

telephone (1931) File:Philips 930.jpg, Philips Art Deco radio set (1931) File:Lurelle Guild. Vacuum Cleaner, ca. 1937..jpg,

Electrolux Electrolux AB () is a Swedish Multinational corporation, multinational home appliance manufacturer, headquartered in Stockholm. It is consistently ranked the world's second largest appliance maker by units sold, after Whirlpool Corporation, Whi ...

Vacuum cleaner (1937) File:Toaster1.jpg, Streamlined

toaster A toaster is a small electric appliance that uses radiant heat to brown sliced bread into toast, the color caused by the Maillard reaction. It typically consists of one or more slots into which bread is inserted, and heating elements, o ...

File:Crosley radio.jpg, Streamlined

Bakelite Bakelite ( ), formally , is a thermosetting polymer, thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, formed from a condensation reaction of phenol with formaldehyde. The first plastic made from synthetic components, it was developed by Belgian chemist ...

radio (1952)

Other notable examples

* 1923 Mossehaus, Berlin. Reconstruction by

and

* 1926:

Long Beach Airport Long Beach Airport is a public airport northeast of downtown Long Beach, California, Long Beach, in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is also called Daugherty Field, named after local aviator Earl Daugherty. The airport was an ...

Main Terminal,

Long Beach, California Long Beach is a coastal city in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the list of United States cities by population, 44th-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 451,307 as of 2022. A charter ci ...

* 1928:

Lockheed Vega The Lockheed Vega is an American five- to seven-seat high-wing monoplane airliner built by the Lockheed Corporation starting in 1927. It became famous for its use by a number of record-breaking pilots who were attracted to its high speed and lo ...

, designed by

John Knudsen Northrop John Knudsen Northrop (November 10, 1895 – February 18, 1981) was an American aircraft industrialist and designer who founded the Northrop Corporation in 1939. His career began in 1916 as a draftsman for Loughead Aircraft Manufacturing ...

, a six-passenger, single-engine aircraft used by

Amelia Earhart Amelia Mary Earhart ( ; July 24, 1897 – January 5, 1939) was an American aviation pioneer. On July 2, 1937, she disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the world. During her li ...

* 1928: Doctor's Building in

Kyiv Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...

, Ukraine * 1928–1930:

Canada Permanent Trust Building The Canada Permanent Trust Building (now known as "The Permanent") is an 18-storey office building located at 320 Bay Street, in downtown Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada ...

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

* 1930: Strand Palace Hotel, London; foyer designed by Oliver Percy Bernard * 1930–1934:

Broadway Mansions The Broadway Mansions (, Shanghainese: ''Pahlowe Dusa'') is a nineteen-floor Art Deco five-star hotel in Shanghai, China.Dmitri Kessel, ''On Assignment: Dmitri Kessel, Life photographer'' (Abrams, 1985):149. and was for over five decades one of ...

, Shanghai, designed by B. Flazer of Palmer and Turner * 1931: The Eaton's Seventh Floor in

, Ontario, Canada, designed by

Jacques Carlu Jacques Carlu (7 April 1890 Bonnières-sur-Seine – 3 December 1976 Paris) was a French architect and designer, working mostly in Art Deco style, active in France, Canada, and in the United States. Biography Through the 1910s Carlu studied on ...

, in the former

Eaton's The T. Eaton Company Limited, later known as Eaton's, was a Canadian department store chain that was once the largest in the country. It was founded in 1869 in Toronto by Timothy Eaton, an immigrant from what is now Northern Ireland. Eaton's g ...

department store * 1931:

Napier, New Zealand Napier ( ; ) is a city on the eastern coast of the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Hawke's Bay region. It is a beachside city with a seaport, known for its sunny climate, esplanade lined with Norfolk pines, and extensive Art D ...

, rebuilt in Art Deco and Streamline Moderne styles after a major earthquake * 1931–1932: ''Plärrer Automat'', Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany by later Nazi-collaborate architect Walter Brugmann * 1931–1933: Hamilton GO Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada by Alfred T. Fellheimer * 1931–1944: Serralves House, Porto, Portugal, designed by José Marques da Silva * 1932: Edifício Columbus, São Paulo, Brazil (demolished 1971) * 1932:

Arnos Grove Tube Station Arnos Grove () is a London Underground station. It is located in Arnos Grove in the London Borough of Enfield, North London. The station is on the Piccadilly line between Bounds Green tube station, Bounds Green and Southgate tube station, Sout ...

, London, England, designed by Charles Holden * 1933: Casa della Gioventù del Littorio,

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

, designed by Luigi Moretti * 1933: ''Ty Kodak'' building in

Quimper Quimper (, ; ; or ) is a Communes of France, commune and Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Finistère Departments of France, department of Brittany (administrative region), Brittany in northwestern France. Administration Quimper is the ...

, France, designed by Olier Mordrel * 1933: Southgate tube station, London * 1933:

Burnham Beeches Burnham Beeches is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest situated west of Farnham Common in the village of Burnham, Buckinghamshire, Burnham, Buckinghamshire. The southern half is owned by the Corporation of London and is open to th ...

in Sherbrooke, Victoria, Australia. Harry Norris architect * 1933: Merle Norman Building,

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

''See also History of Santa Monica, California'' * 1933: Midland Hotel, Morecambe, England * 1933: Edificio Lapido, Montevideo, Uruguay * 1933–1940: Interior of

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

's Museum of Science and Industry, designed by Alfred Shaw * 1934:

Pioneer Zephyr The ''Pioneer Zephyr'' is a diesel engine, diesel-powered trainset built by the Budd Company in 1934 for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad (CB&Q), commonly known as the Burlington Route. The trainset was the second internal combustion-po ...

, the first of Edward G. Budd's streamlined stainless-steel locomotives * 1934:

, the first mass-market streamline automotive design * 1934: Chrysler Airflow, the second mass-market streamline automotive design * 1934: Hotel Shangri-La in

* 1934: Edifício Nicolau Schiesser, São Paulo, Brazil (demolished 2014) * 1935: Ford Building in Balboa Park, San Diego, California * 1935: The De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill-on-Sea, England * 1935:

, Los Angeles * 1935: Edificio Internacional de Capitalización, Mexico City, Mexico * 1935: The Hindenburg,

Zeppelin A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp. 155� ...

passenger accommodations * 1935: Interior of Lansdowne House on

Berkeley Square Berkeley Square is a garden square in the West End of London. It is one of the best known of the many squares in London, located in Mayfair in the City of Westminster. It was laid out in the mid 18th century by the architect William Kent, ...

Mayfair Mayfair is an area of Westminster, London, England, in the City of Westminster. It is in Central London and part of the West End. It is between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane and one of the most expensive districts ...

, London * 1935: The Hamilton Hydro-Electric System Building,

Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario. Hamilton has a 2021 Canadian census, population of 569,353 (2021), and its Census Metropolitan Area, census metropolitan area, which encompasses ...

, Canada * 1935: MV ''Kalakala'', the world's first streamlined ferry * 1935: Lee Drug,

, designed by B.D. Bixby * 1935: Technologist's Building in

, Ukraine * 1935–1938: Former Belgian National Institute of Radio Broadcasting (known as the ''Radio House'') on the

(Brussels), by Joseph Diongre * 1935–1956: High Tower Court, Hollywood Heights, Los Angeles * 1936: Lasipalatsi, in

Helsinki Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...

, Finland, functionalist office building and now a cultural and media center * 1936: Florin Court, on

Charterhouse Square Charterhouse Square is a garden square, a pentagonal space, in Farringdon, in the London Borough of Islington, and close to the former Smithfield Meat Market. The square is the largest courtyard or yard associated with the London Charterhouse ...

in London, built by Guy Morgan and Partners * 1936: Campana Factory, historic factory in

Batavia, Illinois Batavia () is a city mainly in Kane County, Illinois, Kane County and partly in DuPage County, Illinois, DuPage County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located in the Chicago metropolitan area, it was founded in 1833 and is the oldest city in Kan ...

* 1936: Edifício Guarani, São Paulo, Brazil * 1936: Nordic Theater,

Marquette, Michigan Marquette ( ) is the county seat of Marquette County, Michigan, Marquette County and the largest city in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, United States. Located on the shores of Lake Superior, Marquette is a major port known primarily for shippin ...

* 1936: Alkira House, Melbourne * 1936: Longford Cinema, Manchester, England (closed since 1995) * 1937:

Earls Court Exhibition Centre Earls Court Exhibition Centre was a major international exhibition and events venue in London, England. At its peak it is said to have generated a £2 billion turnover for the economy. It replaced exhibition and entertainment grounds, original ...

, London * 1937: Earl's Court tube station, London, facing the Earls Court Exhibition frontage * 1937: Blytheville Greyhound Bus Station in

Blytheville, Arkansas Blytheville is one of two county seat, county seats of and the largest city in Mississippi County, Arkansas, Mississippi County, Arkansas, United States. It is approximately north of West Memphis, Arkansas, West Memphis. The population was 13,40 ...

* 1937: Regent Court, residential apartments on Bradfield Road, Hillsborough,

Sheffield Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, England, situated south of Leeds and east of Manchester. The city is the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and some of its so ...

* 1937: Malloch Building, residential apartments at 1360 Montgomery Street in

San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...

* 1937: B B Chemical Company, in

Cambridge, Massachusetts Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is a suburb in the Greater Boston metropolitan area, located directly across the Charles River from Boston. The city's population as of the 2020 United States census, ...

, built by Coolidge, Shepley, Bulfinch & Abbott * 1937: Belgium Pavilion, at the Exposition Internationale,

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

* 1937: TAV Studios ( Brenemen's

Restaurant A restaurant is an establishment that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and Delivery (commerce), food delivery services. Restaurants ...

Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...

* 1937: Dudley Zoo, Dudley, UK * 1937: Hecht Company Warehouse in

* 1937: Minerva (or Metro) Theatre and the Minerva Building,

Potts Point Potts Point is a small and densely populated suburb in inner-city Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Potts Point is located east of the Sydney central business district and is part of the Local government in Australia, local government area o ...

, New South Wales, Australia * 1937: Bather's Building in the Aquatic Park Historic District, now the

San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park The San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park is located in San Francisco, California, United States. The park includes a fleet of historic vessels, a visitor center, a maritime museum, and a library/research facility. Formerly referred to ...

Maritime Museum * 1937: Barnum Hall (High School auditorium),

* 1937: J.W. Knapp Company Building (department store)

Lansing, Michigan Lansing () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Michigan. The most populous city in Ingham County, Michigan, Ingham County, parts of the city extend into Eaton County, Michigan, Eaton County and nort ...

* 1937: Wan Chai Market, Wan Chai, Hong Kong * 1937: River Oaks Shopping Center,

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

* 1937:

Toronto Stock Exchange The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX; ) is a stock exchange located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is the List of stock exchanges, 10th largest exchange in the world and the third largest in North America based on market capitalization. Based in th ...

Building, mix of

and Streamline Moderne * 1937: Pittsburgh Plate Glass Enamel Plant, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by Alexander C. Eschweiler * 1937: Old Greyhound Bus Station (Jackson, Mississippi) * 1937:

Gramercy Theatre The Gramercy Theatre is a music venue in New York City. It is located in the Gramercy neighborhood of Manhattan, on 127 East 23rd Street. Built in 1937 as the Gramercy Park Theatre, it is owned and operated by Live Nation as one of their two ...

, New York City * 1937:

Gdynia Gdynia is a city in northern Poland and a seaport on the Baltic Sea coast. With an estimated population of 257,000, it is the List of cities in Poland, 12th-largest city in Poland and the second-largest in the Pomeranian Voivodeship after Gdańsk ...

Maritime University in Poland, by Bohdan Damięcki * 1938: Esslinger Building in

San Juan Capistrano, California San Juan Capistrano (also known colloquially as San Juan or SJC) is a city in southern Orange County, California, United States. The population was 35,253 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 Census. Named for Saint John of Capistrano, San Ju ...

* 1938: Fife Ice Arena in

Kirkcaldy Kirkcaldy ( ; ; ) is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It is about north of Edinburgh and south-southwest of Dundee. The town had a recorded population of 49,460 in 2011, making it Fife's second-largest s ...

, United Kingdom * 1938: Mark Keppel High School, Alhambra, California * 1938: Greyhound Bus Terminal (Evansville, Indiana) * 1938: '' 20th Century Limited'',

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

* 1938: Jones Dog & Cat Hospital,

West Hollywood, California West Hollywood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Incorporated in 1984, it is home to the Sunset Strip. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. Census, its population was 35,757. History Most historical writing ...

, by Wurdeman & Beckett (remodel of 1928 original construction) * 1938: Greyhound Bus Depot (Columbia, South Carolina) * 1938:

Marine Court Marine Court is a Listed building#Grade II, Grade II listed Streamline Moderne (Art Deco) apartment block on the seafront of St Leonards-on-Sea, part of the town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough of Hastings in East Sussex, Engl ...

, St Leonards, East Sussex, England * 1939: Academy Theatre, Inglewood, California * 1939: Bartlesville High School, Bartlesville, Oklahoma * 1939: First Church of Deliverance in

, Illinois * 1939:

, LaGuardia Airport, New York City * 1939: Road Island Diner, Oakley, Utah * 1939: Albion Hotel,

South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida South Beach, also nicknamed colloquially as SoBe, is a Neighborhoods of Miami Beach, Florida, neighborhood in Miami Beach, Florida. It is located east of Miami between Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The area encompasses Miami Beach south ...

* 1939:

Pavilions In architecture, ''pavilion'' has several meanings; * It may be a subsidiary building that is either positioned separately or as an attachment to a main building. Often it is associated with pleasure. In palaces and traditional mansions of Asia ...

at the

1939 New York World's Fair The 1939 New York World's Fair (also known as the 1939–1940 New York World's Fair) was an world's fair, international exposition at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in Queens, New York City, New York, United States. The fair included exhibitio ...

* 1939: Regal Shoes Building,

, designed by Walker & Eisen * 1939: Department of Water and Power Building, Los Angeles, California * 1939: Boots Court Motel in

Carthage, Missouri Carthage is a city in Jasper County, Missouri, United States. The population was 15,522 as of the 2020 census. It is the county seat of Jasper County and is nicknamed "America's Maple Leaf City." History Jasper County was formed in 1841. ...

* 1939: Cardozo Hotel, Ocean Drive, South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida * 1939: Daily Express Building, Manchester, England * 1939:

East Finchley tube station East Finchley is a London Underground station in East Finchley in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is on the High Barnet tube station, High Barnet branch of the Northern line, between Finchley Central tube station, Finch ...

, London, England * 1939: Appleby Lodge, Manchester, England * 1939: Philharmonic Hall, Liverpool, England * 1939–1940: Interior of Coffman Memorial Union,

Minneapolis Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

(renovated 1976, restored 2003) * 1940: Gabel Kuro jukebox designed by Brooks Stevens * 1940: Ann Arbor Bus Depot, Michigan * 1940: Jai Alai Building, Taft Avenue

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

, Philippines (demolished 2000) * 1940:

Hollywood Palladium The Hollywood Palladium is a theater (building), theater located at 6215 Sunset Boulevard in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. It was built in a Streamline Moderne, Art Deco style and ...

, Los Angeles, California * 1940: Las Vegas Union Pacific Station, Las Vegas, Nevada * 1940: Rivoli Cinemas, 200 Camberwell Road Hawthorn East, Melbourne, Australia * 1940:

Pacaembu Stadium Pacaembu Stadium (, ; named after the Pacaembu neighbourhood), currently known as Mercado Libre, Mercado Livre Arena Pacaembu for sponsorship reasons, is an association football stadium in São Paulo, Brazil. Located in the Pacaembu neighbourho ...

, São Paulo, Brazil * 1941: Avalon Hotel, Ocean Drive, South Beach, Miami Beach, Florida * 1942: Coral Court Motel in Marlborough, Missouri * 1942:

* 1942:

Mercantile National Bank Building The Mercantile National Bank Building (known colloquially as The Merc) is a 31-story, skyscraper at 1800 Main Street in the Main Street district of downtown Dallas, Texas. It is the former home of the Mercantile National Bank, which later bec ...

Dallas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...

, Texas * 1942: Musick Memorial Radio Station in

Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...

, New Zealand * 1943: Edifício Trussardi in São Paulo, Brazil * 1944: Huntridge Theater, Las Vegas, Nevada * 1945: Muscats Motors, Gżira, Malta * 1945: Ressano Garcia Railway Station,

Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Afr ...

* 1946: Gerry Building, Los Angeles, California * 1946: Canada Dry Bottling Plant,

Silver Spring, Maryland Silver Spring is a census-designated place (CDP) in southeastern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, near Washington, D.C. Although officially Unincorporated area, unincorporated, it is an edge city with a population of 81,015 at the 2020 ...

* 1946:

Broadway Theatre, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan The Broadway Theatre is an art film and performance theatre located on Broadway Avenue (Saskatoon), Broadway Avenue in the Nutana, Saskatoon, Nutana neighborhood of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The theatre is Canada's only community-owned non-p ...

, Canada * 1949: Sault Memorial Gardens, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario * 1949: Beacon Lodge,

Victoria, British Columbia Victoria is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast. The city has a population of 91,867, and the Gre ...

, Canada * 1951: Federal Reserve Bank Building, Seattle, Washington * 1954: Poitiers Theater designed by Edouard Lardillier * 1955:

Eight Forty One Eight Forty One is a , 22-floor office building on the south bank of St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida. Completed in 1955, it was the tallest building in the city for 13 years until surpassed by the Riverplace Tower. It was "The Talle ...

(former Prudential Life Insurance Building),

Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...

, designed by KBJ Architects * 1957: Edinburgh Place Ferry Pier (Star Ferry Pier, Central), Hong Kong (demolished 2006) * 1957: Tsim Sha Tsui Ferry Pier, Hong Kong * 1965: Hung Hom Ferry Pier, Hong Kong * 1968:

Wan Chai Pier The Wan Chai Pier (), or Wan Chai Ferry Pier (), is a pier at the coast of Wan Chai, Wan Chai North on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. The pier is operated by Star Ferry, and provides ferry services to Tsim Sha Tsui. The pier is near the Hon ...

, Hong Kong (demolished 2014)

In motion pictures

*Tanks, aircraft and buildings in

William Cameron Menzies William Cameron Menzies (July 29, 1896 – March 5, 1957) was an American filmmaker who pioneered the discipline of production design, a job title he invented. His career spanned five decades, during which time he also worked as an art director, ...

's 1936 movie '' Things to Come'' *The buildings in

Frank Capra Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-American film director, producer, and screenwriter who was the creative force behind Frank Capra filmography#Films that won Academy Award ...

's 1937 movie '' Lost Horizon'', designed by Stephen Goosson *The design of the "Emerald City" in the 1939 movie '' The Wizard of Oz'' *The main character's helmet and rocket pack in the 1991 movie ''The Rocketeer'' *The High Tower apartments, featured in the 1973 film '' The Long Goodbye'' and 1991 film '' Dead Again'' *The Malloch Apartment Building at 1360 Montgomery St, San Francisco that serves as apartment for

Lauren Bacall Betty Joan Perske (September 16, 1924 – August 12, 2014), professionally known as Lauren Bacall ( ), was an American actress. She was named the AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars, 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the America ...

's character in ''Dark Passage''

References

Bibliography

* * {{Architecture in the United States Streamliners Streamline Moderne 20th-century architectural styles Design languages