James Smith’s Corner
The James Smith Corner building on Cuba Street was designed and
built by architects Penny & Blake in 1907. It was originally an Edwardian
design, but was refurbished in 1932 by architects King and Dawson in the style
of Art Deco, though some aspects of its Edwardian design still shine through in
the layout and shaping of the windows on the building.
The James Smith Corner building is a good example of Art
Deco design as it has many characteristics that are typically associated with
the style, such as ‘speed lines’ or ‘speed whiskers’, which are used at the top
of the elongated pillars (another Art Deco characteristic), which show and emphasize movement and dynamic in the building. The long pillars
are another common Art Deco characteristic: The stretched out shapes emphasize
the height of the building, and remind us of skyscrapers, a theme that is
commonly found in mid 20th century architecture.
The lettering is used on the building in a way that is often
associated with Art Deco, It is runs vertically down one of the main pillars of
the building, and uses a luxurious decorative font that is often seen in
examples of Art Deco design, not only in buildings but also on advertisements and
posters.
The colour scheme of the building is also an indication of
the era of architectural design it is from. Energetic colours (such as the
pinks, purples, greens and yellows used on this building) were common in Art Deco;
they reflected the booming economy and the bright future ahead now that the First
World War was over.
Bibliography:
Craig, R.M. (1995) Atlanta
Architecture: Art Deco to Modern Classic, 1929-1959. Pelican Publishing,
1995
ART DECO TRUST. (2012) WHAT
IS ART DECO. Retrieved from http://www.artdeconapier.com/pages/what-exactly-is-art-deco
Wellington City Council. (2012). James Smith’s Market. Retrieved from http://www.wellington.govt.nz/services/heritage/details.php?id=189&m=search&building=james%20smith
No comments:
Post a Comment