former BALM Paints, Port Melbourne

This Art Deco building in Port Melbourne, now used by a self storage company, was BALM Paints for much of its life.

BALM, British Australian Lead Manufacturers, made paint products for the automotive industry located nearby on Fishermen's Bend. The Port Melbourne Walk booklet produced by the Art Deco and Modernism Society indicates the factory was built in 1937 and refers to Hardie's Fibrolite Roofing Catalogue from November 1937 which lists W J Grassick as the designer.

The building has some nice deco features such as the elaborate capitals on the brick columns between the windows along the facade.

There is also a neat solution to making the flagpole standout on a low slung structure. In this case, the facade is interrupted but a squat tower bearing a porthole motif and a monumental tiered base for the flagpole.

Lake Theatre, Oak Park

The Lake Park Theatre in Oak Park, Illinois is a classic Art Deco cinema.

It was designed by architect Thomas Lamb and opened in 1936. In recent year it has been turned into multiplex but it has become home to many decorative features from other cinemas around Chicago that have not survived the onslaught of modern entertainment.

Bryant Park Hotel, New York

I love the contrast of the black brick against the gold decoration and embellishments.

Originaly the American Radiator Building, this Art Deco building was designed in 1924 by architect Raymond Hood and now serves as the Bryant Park Hotel.

Howard Jewellers, Ottawa

It would appear that Howard Jewellers took over this streamline building as their Ottawa store in 1967. Prior to that I don't know who occupied this prime corner retail location.

The rondelle below the clock on the curved corner of the building carries the dates 1871 - 1949 so I assume it was built in 1949.

The rondelle also bears a shield with the coats of arms of the Canadian provinces and native fauna such as the beaver, fox and geese.

Snowdon Theatre, Montreal

No doubt, The Snowdon Theatre is one of Montreal's best Art Deco buildings.

The main auditorium was constructed in 1937 with Daniel John Crighton the architect. The streamline fin and angled marquee were added in 1950.

The interior decoration was designed by Emmanuel Briffa.

The theatre closed in 1982 and since then the balcony area has been levelled off and is now used as a gym by Flex-Art Gymnastics.

The Snowdon Theatre is owned by the City of Montreal but there are concerns that it may be suffering from 'demolition by neglect', a question as posed in an article on www.westislandchronicle.com by Martin C Barry from March 2009.

Preparing this blog I have removed any doubt from my mind. The Snowdon Theatre is the best Art Deco I saw in Montreal.

Eltham, Elizabeth Bay

I like the way the shadows fall across the brick frontage of Eltham, this Art Deco block of flats in Elizabeth Bay in Sydney.

The building itself is asymetrical with a raised section perhaps providing access to a roof terrace. This taller area of the facade has a small vertical section with three louvre windows in the centre and a protruding semi-circular disk at top and bottom. It looks to me as if some part of the decoration is missing.

The raised section also marks a narrow wooden doorway into the flats with a very nice decorative metal grill.

A Streamline Building in Cape Town

This streamline art deco building is in downtown Cape Town. I saw it during the 2003 World Congress on Art Deco but it wasn't part of the tour so I don't know what building it is at all.

I know where it is. Diagonally opposite Muller's Optomerists. Maybe someone from Cape Town can identify it for me.

It has this fabulous stepped clock on the corner above the verandah but looks a bit unloved.