Geometry and ornament
Art Deco architecture uses stylized ornament and emphatic geometry to give buildings a distinctive silhouette. Stepped forms, repeated lines, and abstract motifs can turn an entrance, tower, or parapet into a building's identifying feature.
The Wright Brothers Monument at Kill Devil Hills illustrates how the style could serve commemoration as well as commerce. Construction began in 1928. Wing-like forms suggest flight, while the monument's elevated beacon reinforces its role as a visible landmark. Its design connects a modern architectural vocabulary to the history of aviation.
What to look for
- Stepped or strongly geometric massing
- Stylized rather than naturalistic ornament
- Entrances and towers treated as focal points