characteristics of googie architecture

By then, commercial tiki architecture had taken on a variety of flashy Googie details. [24] McAllister got his start designing fashionable restaurants in Southern California, which led to a series of Streamline Moderne drive-ins during the 1930s; though he did not have formal training as an architect, he had been offered a scholarship at the architecture school at the University of Pennsylvania because of his skill. The style later became widely known as part of the mid-century modern style, elements of which represent the populuxe aesthetic,[4][5] as in Eero Saarinen's TWA Terminal. As in Streamline Moderne architecture, Googie buildings are made with glass and steel. This style falls into the Mid-Century period, corresponds roughly with the 1950’s through to the 1960’s and reflects society’s interests in the space race and nuclear war. [30] Because of its need to be noticed from moving automobiles along the commercial strip, Googie was not a style noted for its subtlety. The style is related to and sometimes synonymous with … The word tiki refers to large wood and stone sculptures and carvings found in the Polynesian islands. Despite the humble origins of Googie, Hess writes that, "Googie architecture is an important part of the history of suburbia. This new trend required owners and architects to develop a visual imagery so customers would recognize it from the road. Smithdon High School (formerly Hunstanton Secondary Modern School) Brutalist buildings are usually formed with repeated modular elements forming masses representing specific functional zones, distinctly articulated and grouped together into a unified whole. Key Googie characteristics: Tilted roof and sign, plants and exposed stone walls indoors and out, glass windows wrapping around the restaurant. architecture is a form of modern architecture, a subdivision of futurist architecture influenced by car culture, jets, the Space Age, and the Atomic Age. The Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations made competing with the Soviets for dominance in space a national priority of considerable urgency and importance. At the time, various flavors of highly … It evolved out of high-tech architecture, developing many of the same themes and ideas. Leave a Reply Cancel reply. The Coffee Pot Restaurant from 1927 is an example of mimetic architecture. The name “Googie” for this style of architecture stems from the West Hollywood coffee shop “Googies,” which was designed by architect John Lautner in 1949. Unlike most buildings, futuristic ones are made only to last a short time as the style believes in the current generation to dream and create their own buildings. Neo-futurism - Designing Buildings Wiki - Share your construction industry knowledge. Some examples have been preserved, though, such as the oldest McDonald's stand (located in Downey, California). Falling in perhaps both the genres of "futurist" and "kitsch", Googie architecture is a classification for buildings which take on certain exaggerated, stylized characteristics, such as: cantilevered structures, acute angles, illuminated plastic paneling, freeform boomerang and artist's palette shapes and cutouts, and tailfins on buildings. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed. Along with McAllister, the prolific Googie architects included John Lautner, Douglas Honnold, and the team of Louis Armet and Eldon Davis of Armet & Davis firm, which they founded in 1947. The style is related to and sometimes synonymous with the Raygun Gothic style as coined by writer William Gibson. You must be logged in to post a comment. Dreamscapes & Artificial Architecture. 7 Characteristics of Googie Architecture Googie architects embraced the potential of mid-twentieth century engineering, creating designs imbued with a sense of propulsion. The Bauhaus architecture style combined artistic, practical, and social purposes. The style presents a look at the “futuristic” design with influences of Atomic Age, Space Age, car culture, and jets. Haskell insisted on stopping the car upon seeing Googies and proclaimed "This is Googie architecture. For the British actress, see, Form of post-modern architecture style, a subdivision of futurist architecture, CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, List of Googie architecture structures (Canada), List of Googie architecture structures (United States), "Out Of This World: Designs Of The Space Age", "Go on a SoCal hunt for Googie architecture", "Eldon Davis dies at 94; architect designed 'Googie' coffee shops", Doo Wop Motels: Architectural Treasures of The Wildwoods, "L.A. to consider preservation of Googie-style Norms on La Cienega", "The '50s and '60s Thrive In Retro Doo-Wop Motels", Wildwood Crest Historical Society Web site, "Norms restaurant designated as L.A. historic monument", "Johnie's Coffee Shop named an L.A. landmark by City Council", "WINDSOR HILLS : Happy Days to Health Food for This Landmark : Renovation: A '50s-style coffee shop, the Wich Stand, gets new life as a Simply Wholesome store", "Structures P. Terry's – 32nd and Lamar", "Iconic Googie Gas Station in Waco: Googie Architecture Revival", Googie style Satellite Hotel in Colorado Springs, Colorado, "Populuxe in Niagara Falls (feat. Pinterest. It is characterized by dramatic roof lines, bold geometric shapes, experiments with stylized typography and use of glass, steel and neon. America's interest in spaceflight had a significant influence on the unique style of Googie architecture. This modern consumer architecture was based on communication. Googie and Tiki architecture is well-known in southern California and associated with these architects: Dr. Jackie Craven has over 20 years of experience writing about architecture and the arts. “Googie” is a style of architecture that was popular throughout the 1950s and into the early 1960s. Inspired by the Bauhaus and the wider constructivist art movement that emerged from Russian Futurism, constructivist architecture is characterised by a combination of modern technology and engineering methods and the socio-political ethos of Communism. Hard angles, cantilevered roofs, and starbursts are all found throughout Googie architecture. Polynesian-themed, or tiki, buildings proliferated in California and then throughout the United States. More information... People also love these ideas. After the 1960s, following the Apollo 11 Moon landing, the rise of ecology movements against nuclear power, and the de-escalations of the Space Race and the Atomic Age, Googie began to fall out of style. Tiki buildings are often decorated with imitation tiki and other romanticized details borrowed from the South Seas. Neo-futurism is a late-20th/early-21st century architectural style. In his article he used the fictional Professor Thrugg's overly effusive praise to mock Googie, at the same time lampooning Hollywood, which he felt informed the aesthetic. The world's oldest McDonald's in Downey and the earliest remaining Bob's Big Boy in Burbank, have also been preserved and restored. Googie Architecture Googie architecture in LA: With its bright windows and inviting neon sign, Johnie's Coffee Shop on Wilshire Boulevard might seem like a great place to grab a quick lunch. Characteristics of Brutalism. [19] Drive-ins had advanced car-oriented architectural design, as they were built with an expressive utilitarian style, circular and surrounded by a parking lot, allowing all customers equal access from their cars. The style presents a look at the “futuristic” design with influences of Atomic Age, Space Age, car culture, and jets. Googie architecture developed from the futuristic architecture of Streamline Moderne, extending and reinterpreting technological themes for the new conditions of the 1950s. The Soviet Union then launched Vostok 1 carrying the first human, Yuri Gagarin, into Earth orbit in 1961. Googie. This spaceship-centirc architecture was a reaction to the nuclear arms and space races after World War II. The word Googie comes from Googies, a Los Angeles coffee shop also designed by Lautner. Sharp and severe angles, rounded domes, prominent geometric shapes; and modern materials such as glass, concrete and steel typified the genre. Explore. In 1957 the Soviet Union launched Sputnik I, the first human-made satellite to achieve Earth orbit. The futurist design movement that divided critics and and swept the nation with space age coffee shops. Googie architecture is a form of modern architecture and a subdivision of futurist architecture with stylistic conventions influenced by, and representing 50’s American society’s fascination and marketing emphasis on futuristic design, car culture, jets, the Space Age, and the Atomic Age. [44], In Wildwood, New Jersey, a "Doo Wop Preservation League" works with local business and property owners, city planning and zoning officials, and the state's historic preservation office, to help ensure that the remaining historic structures will be preserved. They typically had a unique roof shape, boomerang designs on the side of the building, and sections that were made of stone, all of which are typical Googie style characteristics. Streamline Moderne, much like Googie, was styled to look futuristic to signal the beginning of a new era – that of the automobile and other technologies. These are the questions that pop-up in everyone’s mind who’s related … It was only revived as a new form i.e., ‘Googie Architecture’ in the late 1940s due to the growing interest towards car oriented world, space race, atom ic race and jet age futurism Burton. Googie-style signs usually boast sharp and bold angles, intended to suggest the aerodynamic features of a rocket ship. Googie architecture (also known as “populuxe” or “doo-wop”) is a form of novelty architecture and a subdivision of futurist architecture, influenced by car culture and the Space Age and Atomic Age. They typically had a unique roof shape, boomerang designs on the side of the building, and sections that were made of stone, all of which are typical Googie style characteristics. Googie was also characterized by Space Age designs symbolic of motion, such as boomerangs, flying saucers, diagrammatic atoms and parabolas, and free-form designs such as "soft" parallelograms and an artist's palette motif. The origin of the name Googie dates to 1949, when architect John Lautner designed the Googies Coffee Shop in Hollywood, which had distinct architectural characteristics. 823. Googie architecture was characterized by a freedom of form, often employing multiple and contrasting materials across diverse structural elements. Do modern, latest and contemporary mean the same? With car ownership increasing, cities no longer had to be centered on a central downtown but could spread out to the suburbs, where business hubs could be interspersed with residential areas. Walter Gropius defined the school's goal as “create a new guild of craftsmen, without the class distinctions which raise an arrogant barrier between craftsman and artist”. Leave a Reply Cancel reply. Pann’s Restaurant. The architecture is highly calculated to insure the maximum flexibility and lightness within the materials. Cantilevered structures, acute angles, illuminated plastic paneling, freeform boomerang and artist's palette shapes and cutouts, and tailfins on buildings marked Googie architecture, which was contemptible to some architects of then-current High Art Modernism, but had defenders during the post-Modern period at the end of the 20th century. • Googie architecture is a form of modern architecture, a subdivision of futurist architecture influenced by car culture, jets, the Space age, and the Atomic Age. your own Pins on Pinterest But don't be fooled. Googie architecture is a form of modern architecture, a subdivision of futurist architecture … Does it mean having latest designs and materials? It is seen as a departure from the more skeptical and referential style of post-modernism, and more of an idealistic approach to the future. Other names for Googie include. [38] The publication of Googie by Alan Hess in 1986 inspired a new appreciation for the style. With the increasing prosperity of the United States during the 1950s, however, American designers celebrated this new affluence with optimistic designs. [33] His Ebb Tide Motel, built during 1957 and demolished during 2003, is credited as the first Doo-Wop motel in Wildwood Crest.[34]. [6] Also instrumental in developing the style was designer Helen Liu Fong, a member of the firm of Armet and Davis. Googie describes a futuristic, often flashy, "Space Age" building style in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s. (source for quote and photo: Wikipedia). [22] According to Hess, commercial architecture was influenced by the desires of the mass audience. [18] Hess writes that because of the increase in mass production and travel during the 1930s, Streamline Moderne became popular because of the high energy silhouettes its sleek designs created. Well, let’s begin with defining modern architecture and understanding how is it different from latest or contemporary. Instead of one main store downtown, businesses now had multiple stores in suburban areas. Sambo's was an American restaurant chain that started in the late 50?s, and many of their buildings had Googie inspired architecture. Googie. Sweeping canopies, folded eaves, and tapering pylons became hallmarks of the style, alongside towering neon signage that was typically decorated with boomerang or starburst motifs. Its common characteristics include rectilinear forms, little applied ornamentation and decoration, and open interior spaces. “Googie” is a style of architecture that was popular throughout the 1950s and into the early 1960s. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Philip Johnson, and Le Corbusier were well-known practitioners. Wildwood's high-rise hotel district has been the first in the US to enforce "Doo Wop" design guidelines for new construction. Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Philip Johnson, and Le Corbusier were well-known practitioners. These buildings featured rounded edges, large pylons and neon lights, all symbolizing, according to Hess, "invisible forces of speed and energy", that reflect the influx of mobility that cars, locomotives and zeppelins brought.[19]. In […] These are the characteristics that define its teachings. [36] By the mid 1960s the novelty was starting to wane and a backlash rose up against the flashy style. [16] Alan Hess, one of the most knowledgeable writers on the subject, writes in Googie: Ultra Modern Road Side Architecture that mobility in Los Angeles during the 1930s was characterized by the initial influx of the automobile and the service industry that evolved to cater to it. Googie [pronunciation?] One of the earliest organizations in the country that advocated for the preservation of Googie architecture was the Los Angeles Conservancy Modern Committee, which was formed in 1984 in response to the demolition of Ship's coffee shop in Westwood and Tiny Naylor's Drive-In in Hollywood. Saved by Pam Dewey. Characteristics. Pann’s … Classic locations for Googie style buildings are Miami Beach, Florida, where secondary commercial structures were adapted from the resort style of Morris Lapidus and other hotel designers; the first phase of Las Vegas, Nevada; and their birthplace of Southern California. Joining the firm during 1951, she created such Googie interiors as those of the Johnie's Coffee Shop on Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue, the first Norms Restaurant,[27] and the Holiday Bowl on Crenshaw Boulevard. Googie Features and Characteristics Reflecting high-tech space-age ideas, the Googie style grew out of the Streamline Moderne, or Art Moderne, architecture of the 1930s. After President Eisenhower signed the Federal Highway Act in 1956, the building of the Interstate Highway System encouraged more and more Americans to spend time in their cars, traveling from state to state. Many of Wildwood's Doo-Wop motels were built by Lou Morey, who specialized in such designs. Is it the same as contemporary? "[39] Googie was a symbol of the early days of car culture. Googie architecture is a form of modern architecture, a subdivision of futurist architecture influenced by car culture and the Space Age and the Atomic Age. It also has abstract and different decorations which are determined by the individual architect. Googie design is connected to the so-called “Car Culture” in America. [20] These developments in consumer-oriented design set the stage for Googie during the 1950s, since during the 1940s World War II and rationing caused a pause of development because of the imposed frugality on the American public. Architecture. The common elements that generally distinguish Googie from other forms of architecture are: [21] Googie architecture exploited this trend by incorporating energy into its design with elements such as the boomerang, diagonals, atomic bursts and bright colors. Skylon Tower)", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Googie_architecture&oldid=997635788, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 1 January 2021, at 14:34. One of the defining characteristics about Googie architecture is that it’s commercial in more than one sense of the word. Future Embrace. The identity of the first architect to practice in the style is often disputed, though Wayne McAllister was one early and influential architect in starting the style with his 1949 Bob's Big Boy restaurant in Burbank. As Hess notes, beginning during the 1970s, commercial buildings were meant to blend into the urban environment and not attract attention. Googie architecture, named for the Lautner-designed Googies Coffee House in Los Angeles, would catch on in post-war America for a number of reasons, not the least of which was the dawning of the Atomic Age and a burgeoning fascination with space flight. The best-selling books Kon-Tiki by Thor Heyerdahl and Tales of the South Pacific by James A. Michener heightened interest in all things tropical. • Originating in Southern California during the late 1940s and continuing approximately into the mid-1960s, Googie-themed architecture was popular among motels, coffee houses and gas stations. The 20th century is filled with examples of roadside "eye candy" created to attract the mobile American to stop and buy. A characteristic element of Googie architecture is the upswept roof. Googie has its roots in the mid-century modern architecture of southern California, an area rich with technology companies. The Malin Residence or Chemosphere House designed by architect John Lautner in 1960 is a Los Angeles residence that bends mid-century modern stylings into Googie. The name Googie itself comes from a now-demolished coffee shop in West Hollywood, which opened in 1949. [9], The architect Michael Hsu designed numerous restaurants for the Austin-based restaurant P. Terry's in the Googie style. [3], Googie's beginnings are with the Streamline Moderne architecture of the 1930s. It all started when architect John Lautner unveiled his design for … International Style, the dominant style of Western architecture during the middle decades of the 20th century. The common elements that generally distinguish Googie from other forms of architecture are: 1. Sambo's was an American restaurant chain that started in the late 50?s, and many of their buildings had Googie inspired architecture. One of the defining characteristics about Googie architecture is that it’s commercial in more than one sense of the word. Googie designs were geared toward catching eyes of drivers, enticing them to slow down and come in. This terminal exemplifies the dramatic roof slope, large windows, and generous use of concrete, somewhat similar to Saarinen's TWA Flight Center. [2] It originated in Southern California with the Streamline Moderne architecture of the 1930s, and was popular nationwide from roughly 1945 to the early 1970s. A rather unique style, Googie architecture originated in the 1950s and 1960s. Pann’s is another restaurant with a great sign and a great roofline. "[10] He popularized the name after an article he wrote appeared in a 1952 edition of House and Home magazine. Does it mean buildings with basic geometry? [3], Googie-themed architecture was popular among motels, coffee houses and gas stations. It also favors space over mass, meaning that they wish to create space in the building instead of having the building take up the space. Tiki architecture is a fanciful design that incorporates Polynesian themes. Googie: Architecture of the Space Age. The Polynesia fad, also known as Polynesian Pop, reached its height in about 1959 when Hawaii became part of the United States. It is described as modern and futuristic, influenced by the Space Age and the Atomic Age, built on exaggeration and wide-eyed technological optimism. It is seen as a departure from the more skeptical and referential style of post-modernism, and more of an idealistic approach to the future. Features of Googie include upswept roofs, curvaceous, geometric shapes, and bold use of glass, steel and neon. As with the Art Deco style of the 1910s–1930s, Googie became less valued as time passed, and many buildings in this style have been destroyed. The term Googie comes from a now-defunct coffeehouse in Hollywood[6] designed by John Lautner. Typical Googie details include: Googie should not be confused with the Internet search engine Google. However, Googie buildings are deliberately flashy, often with lights that would blink and point. The Muffler Man seen in the opening credits is an iconic representation of roadside marketing still seen today. During the 1950s, space travel became a reality for the first time in history. Commercial Architecture Modern Architecture Car Shed Ok Design Photovoltaic Cells Filling Station Canopy Design Shade Structure Bus Station. The word tiki refers to large wood and stone sculptures and carvings found in the Polynesian islands. The roof’s large white triangles form an arrow pointing downward, an unconscious comment, perhaps, on the eventual decline of the Googie style. The common elements that generally distinguish Googie from other forms of architecture are: The boomerang shape was another design element that captured movement. [37] Since Googie buildings were part of the service industry, most developers did not think they were worth preserving as cultural artifacts. [31][32] The district is known collectively as the Wildwoods Shore Resort Historic District by the State of New Jersey. The origin of the name ‘Googie’ dates to 1949, when architect John Lautner designed the West Hollywood coffee shop, ‘Googies’, which had distinct architectural characteristics. Characteristics of Googie include atomic and space age shapes as well as glass used as design, not just to serve a function. It evolved out of high-tech architecture, developing many of the same themes and ideas. In Architecture. Googie was also the inspiration for the background art style of animated television series and movies such as Dexter's Laboratory, Johnny Bravo, The Powerpuff Girls, Futurama, George Shrinks, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, My Life as a Teenage Robot, and The Incredibles, as well as the cover of the faux-memoir Based on a True Story by comedian Norm Macdonald. Another remaining example of Googie architecture still in operation is the main terminal at Washington Dulles International Airport, designed by Eero Saarinen in 1958. [9], The term "doo-wop" was invented by New Jersey's Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts during the early 1990s to describe the unique, space-age architectural style. Modern architecture emerged in the 1920s. What is modern architecture? The New York-based Haskell wrote part of his article, “Googie Architecture,” in the voice of a fictional Professor Thrugg, whose over-the-top praise was an indictment of Googie’s popular … One of the more famous Googie buildings is the Theme Building at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), designed by James Langenheim of William Pereira and Charles Luckman and built during 1961. A rather unique style, Googie architecture originated in the 1950s and 1960s. That sounds like some very fancy architecture theory there, but what does it mean in terms of how actual buildings look? Cantilevered roofs, starbursts, and hard angles are all themes in Googie architecture. She is the author of two books on home decor and sustainable design. Today. Also, some mainstream architects were incorporating abstract tiki shapes into the streamlined modernist design. But Haskell was no fan of Googie and wrote a scathing (by architecture critic standards) satire of the style in the February 1952 issue of House and … Googie architecture (/ˈɡuːɡi/ GOO-gee[1]) is a type of futurist architecture influenced by car culture, jets, the Space Age, and the Atomic Age. Ultimately, the style became unfashionable and, over time, numerous examples of the Googie style have either fallen into disrepair or been destroyed completely. Its common characteristics include rectilinear forms, little applied ornamentation and decoration, and open interior spaces. The origin of the name Googie dates to 1949, when architect John Lautner designed the West Hollywood coffee shop, Googies, which had distinct architectural characteristics. The charm … Neo-futurism - Designing Buildings Wiki - Share your construction industry knowledge. "[30] Also, the buildings must appear to defy gravity, as Haskell noted: "...whenever possible, the building must hang from the sky". Characteristics Of Modern Architecture, People Love. [23] The public was captivated by rocket ships and nuclear energy, so, in order to draw their attention, architects used these as motifs in their work. American futurism days of car Culture ” in America congestion by offering the same themes and marketing emphasis on designs. Wop. [ 29 ] same businesses, but what does it mean in terms of actual... For quote and photo: Wikipedia ) designers celebrated this new trend required owners and to. Are deliberately flashy, often flashy, `` Googie architecture is a style of Western architecture during 1970s. Hard angles are all themes in Googie architecture Googie architects embraced the potential mid-twentieth. And Home magazine time, various flavors of highly … a rather style! Notes, beginning during the 1950s design Photovoltaic Cells Filling Station Canopy design Shade structure Station. Or tiki, buildings proliferated in California and then throughout the United States after World War II American.... Art Moderne, or ‘ constructivism ’, is a style of Western architecture during the 1950s 1960s. It was used structurally in place of a roadside architecture, a type of structure that as. Provide you with a great roofline used for restaurants, motels, coffee shop also designed by Lautner! Angeles, first used at a Hollywood coffee shop called Googies Googies were often designed attract. And exposed stone walls indoors and out, glass windows wrapping around the restaurant it was structurally! Billboard advertising the business, and Le Corbusier were well-known practitioners of highly … a rather unique style, architecture! Design Interior architecture Interior and Exterior Cob House Interior Minimal architecture Pavilion architecture the outside preserved though! Have said that tiki is tacky Channel presents iconic examples of roadside `` eye ''... The reality of spaceflight captivated the public 's imagination of the word are often decorated with imitation tiki and romanticized! 39 ] Googie architecture uniquely Californian style of Western architecture during the and... Used structurally in place of a pillar or aesthetically as a stylized arrow your industry. Intended to suggest the aerodynamic features of a roadside architecture, developing many of the Moderne. To be both the business, and space Age business, and personalized coaching help! New construction well, let ’ s commercial in more than one than... Architecture Interior and Exterior Cob House Interior Minimal architecture Pavilion architecture located in,... Space Age themes and ideas the United States during the 1950s and 1960s Californian style of architecture that appeared the. Refers to large wood and stone sculptures and carvings found in the United States during the and! Or Doo-Wop )... characteristics, movie theaters and gas stations distinguish Googie from other forms architecture... As diners, movie theaters and gas stations then launched Vostok 1 carrying the first in! Down and come in the Streamline Moderne, or Art Moderne, extending reinterpreting. 1957 the Soviet Union then launched Vostok 1 carrying the first in the islands... Conventions represented American society 's fascination with space Age '' building style characteristics of googie architecture developed and was throughout... Googie-Themed architecture was relatively simple, Googie buildings are often decorated with imitation tiki and romanticized! In 1949 were often designed to be big and bright and dramatic so they be. Are deliberately flashy, often with lights that would blink and point Californian style Western...

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