Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Art Deco for many years has been somewhat marginalised in the mainstream history of architecture, although it has gradually gained its academic place since the late 1960s when the style was first given its appellation. This article explores an Art Deco case study through the lens of environmental sustainability, evaluating its architectural characteristics and its stylistic appeal into the twenty-first century. Daventry Court is an Art Deco apartment block in the City of Johannesburg that was built over two phases, representing two very different approaches to design, yet unified stylistically. In a fresh appraisal of its architectural merits, the building is found to be of economical planning, with a stylistic treatment that mediates between “classical moderne” and “modernism.” In an assessment of its sustainability, the building is located in a suburb that meets many of the ideals of the Compact City, with a relatively small carbon footprint. The building has retained its popularity throughout its 90 years, a factor in its continued sustainability and functionality. This resilience can be attributed to versatile architectural planning, robust engineering and construction methods, and its alignment with and adaptation to current environmental best practice.
Source: de arte
Author: Anne Fitchett
Institution: University of the Witwatersrand
Language: English
Subfield: Architecture
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4415724198