Three Movements of Art Deco Style
 The Zig Zag style of the 1920s included traditional masonry walls accentuated by strong vertical lines. This was a prosperous, optimistic time in America. The vertical lines reflected this attitude of soaring ambitions and emphasized the height of buildings that were climbing higher into the sky than ever before, thanks to new construction techniques. The Zig Zag style often made use of terra cotta as a sheathing material to produce colorful and ornamental designs. |
 The PWA (Public Works Administration) and WPA (Works Progress Administration)style includes massive stone institutional buildings constructed with local labor and materials. It reflects an abstract, puritanical approach to classical-oriented buildings. |
 The Streamline style, popular during the Great Depression and into the early 40s, made use of horizontal aerodynamic forms with curved facades and glass bricks. It utilized smooth surfaces of newly adapted materials. Whereas the Zig Zag style emphasized height through vertical lines, the Streamline style emphasized speed and movement through horizontal lines. |
