THE YEAR 1922

Two events responsible for art decos impact on architecture in America:

CHICAGO TRIBUNE HEADQUARTERS : the tribune, Chicago’s premier newspaper, had established a competition for architects around the world to submit designs for its new head quarters.

The winning submission went to American Raymond Hood and his traditional Gothic styled skyscraper, the second place design, submitted by Eliel Saarinen , a young finnish architect, was art deco.

Although the design didn’t win any prize but it created an enthusiastic discussion among the American architects and also on the competition winner Raymond Hood.

Later when Hood won the bid to make the headquarters of the American radiator company in New York, he incorporated saarinen’s philosophy. Combining gothic with art deco, the American radiator building in 1924 represented the first art deco skyscraper builiding in the united states.

Later after the paris exhibition hood recounted” the paris exhibition of 1925 was less directly influential ( than saarinen’s design) as far as architecture was concerned. In the end the show was most helpful in that it re-emphasized to the American architect that tradition could be left behind.”

THE DISCOVERY OF TUTANKHAMUN’S TOMB : This discovery by howard carter of the ancient pharaoh of Egypt, awakned an interest in early Egyptian civilization. Pharaohs, tombs and the glorification of civilization through architecture intrigued modern architects which broadned to other ancient civilizations around the world.

Themes associated with past civilazations, were incorporated in art deco structures, most notable Egyptian, Mayan, Aztec.

Both these events in 1922, signified the bold vision for the future that was expressed by Art Deco, and yet at the same time, bestowed great honour and respect for ancient civilizations and their contributions to contemporary architecture and design.