About Art Deco Perth

ART DECO PERTH

According to Apperly, Irving and Reynolds in “Identifying Australian Architecture”

“Ordinary people who liked cocktails, the Charleston, streamlined cars and chromium plated electric toasters responded much more easily and happily to Art Deco” p188

I definitely think the above comment applies to me, and would attribute an almost lifelong passion for everything from the 20’s and 30’s, to visiting my great aunt Eva when I was a child from a country town. She epitomised the period with her wonderful house and brightly coloured bric-a-brac that I adored. She held musical soiree’s with her friends, some of whom were involved in the beginning of the National Theatre in Perth. I am now fortunate enough to live in that house and it has been the venue of Art Deco functions and movies have been filmed here. My husband is the proud owner of a 1950 Riley 2.5 litre (streamlined) and we live happily with the often felt presence of the previous inhabitants. Our children feel that they were raised in a tribute to a bygone era, but also thankfully, have an appreciation of history and heritage.

Many people have said that there is little Art Deco architecture in Perth, but there was enough to have held the Second Art Deco World Congress in 1993 – the first being held in Miami, Florida, and what, as a Society led by our President Vyonne Geneve OAM and Vice-President Ron Facius, we have managed to save, is spread throughout the suburbs. As a society we have been active for 26 years, and I have been on the committee for twenty years.The purpose of this site therefore is to show to visitors or aficionados, the whereabouts of our diverse Art Deco heritage in the beautiful city of Perth.

It is alive and well in Perth thanks to the hard work and perseverance of the Art Deco Society of Western Australia who have saved many of our buildings from demolition and today still exist as places of entertainment – theatres, hotels, shops, arcades, homes and museums.

Hopefully Art Deco Perth will encourage people to take a pride in these buildings and help preserve what we have. Although it is a modern city looking forward to the future, we need to protect and appreciate the past for future generations.

This blog has been published to promote Interwar buildings and help preserve them. I will continue to add Art Deco buildings to the blog.

Any comments, photos or information will be gratefully received.

Many thanks for the information acquired from the Art Deco and Modernist Society of WA, and  the encouragement of fellow committee member Jean and the many hours volunteered by my friend Beth on helping me with the blog. I would also like to thank my nephew Andrea for taking many of the photos. Also thank you to the Local History Officers in the local Shires and Ray White Armadale.
Annelle