Sharon Koskoff

Art Deco of the Palm Beaches Sharon Koskoff

Art Deco design is a jazzy celebration of the Machine Age, mass production, geometry, and the straight line. In Palm Beach County, sleek themes are seen representing tropical, nautical, masculine, and stylized motifs that reflect speed and technology. Elements include eyebrows, flat roofs, porthole windows, rounded corners, columns, glass blocks, bandings, multiples of three, and Zig-Zag steps. Palm Beach County has dozens of Art Deco treasures built throughout the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s, which are located in the downtowns of Delray Beach up through West Palm Beach. Art Deco architecture found in Palm Beach County is spread out rather than concentrated in one location. These buildings are significant to the history of South Florida because they represent some of the earliest structures ever built in the area. These remarkable gems are in danger of being demolished due to the ever-increasing amount of development throughout the county.