Shopping mall pioneer, philanthropist A. Alfred Taubman dies.

[marylander1940]

A. Alfred Taubman's self-made wealth — as a pioneer who helped revolutionize how America shops — fueled a lifetime of varied philanthropy and support for civic institution and the arts, including his deep commitment to the Detroit Institute of Arts.

 

Taubman, the Pontiac native who helped bring malls to America and who became one of Michigan's most important donors to museums and universities, died Friday of a heart attack in his home in Bloomfield Hills. He was 91.

 

http://www.freep.com/story/money/business/michigan/2015/04/18/a-alfred-taubman-dies-obit/25977167/

[bigvalboy]

Life is just too damn short...God bless him.

[marylander1940]

Life is just too damn short...God bless him.

 

It's interesting that he lived all his life in a Detroit suburb, a city that was destroyed among many reasons because of wealthy people moving to the suburbs.

 

Taubman pioneered the modern shopping mall concept. Two stories let shoppers make a complete circuit past every store. Artificial lighting supplements fading daylight and entices people to keep shopping past dusk. Unlike old-fashioned city downtowns in which car-laden streets hampered across-the-street shopping, the mall increases exposure.

 

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._Alfred_Taubman

[bigvalboy]

It was a brilliant concept, but "The Grove" in Los Angeles did a nice take on it. Part mall, part old town feel, with a central main street meandering through the complex with stores and side walk retaurants on each side, and a trolley running down the middle. It allowed people to be outside, yet still be able to shop as if they were in a mall. It is almost magical at Christmas time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://static.panoramio.com/photos/large/63221489.jpg

 

http://thisbeautifuldayblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Christmas-The-Grove-1024x1024.jpg

[Rudynate]

I grew up in Rochester NY, which had Midtown Plaza, one of the very first urban malls. They began planning for it in the mid-50's and it opened for business in 1962. At the time, it was considered an amazing innovation. It was torn down about ten years ago.

[marylander1940]

I grew up in Rochester NY, which had Midtown Plaza, one of the very first urban malls. They began planning for it in the mid-50's and it opened for business in 1962. At the time, it was considered an amazing innovation. It was torn down about ten years ago.

 

We should preserve some of those old malls, airports and planned communities now a days we find so ugly and uninteresting so next generations can make a judgment of the XX century's architecture.

 

http://www.moodiereport.com/images/Dublin_1940_sepia.jpg

 

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Hillsdale_Shopping_Center_1950s_Postcard.jpg

 

In the 1980's art deco style constructions was considered still ugly and unappreciated. Now it's classy.

 

If we don't allow buildings to go from fixer-uppers to vintage and old we'll loose part of our history.

 

http://4b7g8h18dm66fuq483vqmyo1.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/dpc_sears.jpg

[Rudynate]

I didn't care for all those anodized aluminum panels in the sixties, but I'm very fond of post-war architecture.

[bigvalboy]

We should preserve some of those old malls, airports and planned communities now a days we find so ugly and uninteresting so next generations can make a judgment of the XX century's architecture.

 

http://www.moodiereport.com/images/Dublin_1940_sepia.jpg

 

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Hillsdale_Shopping_Center_1950s_Postcard.jpg

 

In the 1980's art deco style constructions was considered still ugly and unappreciated. Now it's classy.

 

If we don't allow buildings to go from fixer-uppers to vintage and old we'll loose part of our history.

 

http://4b7g8h18dm66fuq483vqmyo1.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/dpc_sears.jpg

 

Is that top picture Burbank Airport? Just curious. ...and nationwide there are countless projects that preserve the old Art Deco structures from the 20's 30's and 40's by re-purposing them into multi-use structures or housing units. Some more successful than others.

 

You'd be hard-pressed to find me in one in earthquake country, but that's just me.

 

http://lifestylesla.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/5113_Eastern-Columbia-Pic.jpg

[Rudynate]

The Buffalo City Hall has always been one of my favorite deco buildings

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Buffalo_City_Hall%2C_Buffalo%2C_NY_-_IMG_3745.JPG

[marylander1940]

Deco (in Europe and Israel known as Bauhaus) has been preserved by gay men who rediscovered it in Miami, now our community is doing the same with midcentury and 1970's style in Fort Lauderdale.

[marylander1940]

I didn't care for all those anodized aluminum panels in the sixties, but I'm very fond of post-war architecture.

 

 

It's amazing how the was used to be a fixer-upper became vintage, and now old/preserved and even copied.

 

The old Greyhound station in DC...

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4783159081_3e566bcc18_b.jpg

 

[mike carey]

I haven't been there, but apparently Asmara in Eritrea has classic art deco architecture from its time under Italian occupation in the 1930s.

[Rudynate]

Deco (in Europe and Israel known as Bauhaus) has been preserved by gay men who rediscovered it in Miami, now our community is doing the same with midcentury and 1970's style in Fort Lauderdale.

 

 

I wouldn't agree that Bauhaus and Art deco are the same thing. Bauhaus is all elemental shapes, stark lines and absolutely no ornamentation.

[Rudynate]

I haven't been there, but apparently Asmara in Eritrea has classic art deco architecture from its time under Italian occupation in the 1930s.

 

 

If it can be said that anything good came of the Mussolini era in Italy, it would be the architecture. The Italian deco from that period can be just beautiful.

[mike carey]

If it can be said that anything good came of the Mussolini era in Italy, it would be the architecture. The Italian deco from that period can be just beautiful.

 

Quite so! One of the widely asserted benefits of the fascist period in Italy is that the trains ran on time. Apparently they did not, but the one train that took Mussolini from the north to Rome to meet the king and claim government did!

[bigvalboy]

Deco (in Europe and Israel known as Bauhaus) has been preserved by gay men who rediscovered it in Miami, now our community is doing the same with midcentury and 1970's style in Fort Lauderdale.

 

Absolutely correct ML...

North Beach Village in FTL is a prime example. Funny how we were throwing these mid-century buildings away a few years ago. It often just takes someone with a vision....and a little money.

 

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/04/8c/8b/72/north-beach-village-ft.jpg

One of North Beach Villages newest addition...The Tranquillo, around the corner from the Royal Palms.

[marylander1940]

If it can be said that anything good came of the Mussolini era in Italy, it would be the architecture. The Italian deco from that period can be just beautiful.

 

Beautiful? I would call it innovative/interesting but not beautiful.

http://www.romeartlover.it/Eur11.jpg http://41.media.tumblr.com/9b6cfa0be5785abbfb2c8e107cbb1565/tumblr_mki3wfNRfp1rfybgvo1_1280.jpg

[Rudynate]

Beautiful? I would call it innovative/interesting but not beautiful.

http://www.romeartlover.it/Eur11.jpg http://41.media.tumblr.com/9b6cfa0be5785abbfb2c8e107cbb1565/tumblr_mki3wfNRfp1rfybgvo1_1280.jpg

 

 

To each his own.

[marylander1940]

Absolutely correct ML...

North Beach Village in FTL is a prime example. Funny how we were throwing these mid-century buildings away a few years ago. It often just takes someone with a vision....and a little money.

 

http://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/04/8c/8b/72/north-beach-village-ft.jpg

One of North Beach Villages newest addition...The Tranquillo, around the corner from the Royal Palms.

 

My friend, that ain't art deco, that's Bauhaus. If Bauhaus and art deco are two different things (like cats and dogs) that happen on each side of the Atlantic Ocean at the same time, that ain't art deco, that's Miami's Bauhaus.

 

I wouldn't agree that Bauhaus and Art deco are the same thing. Bauhaus is all elemental shapes, stark lines and absolutely no ornamentation.

 

From now on... let's talk about South Beach (except the coastal avenue) as Bauhaus.

 

South beach's coastal art deco.

 

http://www.gw-travel.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/miami-south-beach_596x334.jpg

 

Miami's Bauhaus (not to be found on the coast) unless the "eyebrows" of the building make it an art deco...

 

http://corural.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/miami-beach-house-rentals.jpg

 

Painted Bauhaus in Miami.

 

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/9/74756730_72491ae9c9.jpg

[Rudynate]

Bauhaus came after deco. That nautical look is a transitional style called "streamline moderne" and could best be described as deco morphing into Bauhaus.

 

This is what I think of as Bauhaus:

 

http://adrianasassoon.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/bauhaus31.jpg

[marylander1940]

Bauhaus came after deco. That nautical look is a transitional style called "streamline moderne" and could best be described as deco morphing into Bauhaus.

 

This is what I think of as Bauhaus:

 

http://adrianasassoon.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/bauhaus31.jpg

 

yes, that's Bauhaus for me too. It also has an eyebrow under the 2nd floor and on top of the door.

 

If we change the glass for glass bricks would we turn it from Bauhaus to art deco?

 

http://assets.atlasobscura.com/media/BAhbCVsHOgZmSSJGdXBsb2Fkcy9wbGFjZV9pbWFnZXMvNjBlY2RmYmQ1NzdiMGEyZTEyYzA3ODQ3MjFjMjQ0OTlkNzVjMTgwZC5qcGcGOgZFVFsIOgZwOgp0aHVtYkkiCng0MDA+BjsGVFsHOwc6CnN0cmlwWwk7BzoMY29udmVydEkiEC1xdWFsaXR5IDkxBjsGVDA/image.jpg

 

Is this a hybrid?

 

Let's agree to disagree and move on.

 

http://36.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7s0k3z7b61qe7vo3o1_500.jpg

[Rudynate]

yes, that's Bauhaus for me too. It also has an eyebrow under the 2nd floor and on top of the door.

 

If we change the glass for glass bricks would we turn it from Bauhaus to art deco?

 

http://assets.atlasobscura.com/media/BAhbCVsHOgZmSSJGdXBsb2Fkcy9wbGFjZV9pbWFnZXMvNjBlY2RmYmQ1NzdiMGEyZTEyYzA3ODQ3MjFjMjQ0OTlkNzVjMTgwZC5qcGcGOgZFVFsIOgZwOgp0aHVtYkkiCng0MDA+BjsGVFsHOwc6CnN0cmlwWwk7BzoMY29udmVydEkiEC1xdWFsaXR5IDkxBjsGVDA/image.jpg

 

Is this a hybrid?

 

Let's agree to disagree and move on.

 

http://36.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7s0k3z7b61qe7vo3o1_500.jpg

 

 

 

You could drive yourself crazy trying to classify buildings from that transitional period as being one style or the other. To me a lot of those South Beach apartment buildings, even though we call them deco are more Bauhaus with some deco-style ornamentation gratuitously applied. My understanding of bauhaus is that it is free of ornamentation, or nearly so.

[bigvalboy]

Bauhaus came after deco. That nautical look is a transitional style called "streamline moderne" and could best be described as deco morphing into Bauhaus.

 

This is what I think of as Bauhaus:

 

http://adrianasassoon.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/bauhaus31.jpg

 

Not to labor the issue, but I don't believe this to be true. I always thought of Bauhaus to be an early architectural style that at the very least could be said to have run concurrently with Deco. Many of these styles overlap in concept and form. You are correct however, in that what many lovingly call the Art Deco style of architecture is really a fusing of styles into 'Streamline Modern'.... all in all I loved the posts in this thread. Some stunning buildings to be sure. Thanks to the OP for posting here, and reminding us of what influences our styles today.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bauhaus

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Deco

[marylander1940]

You could drive yourself crazy trying to classify buildings from that transitional period as being one style or the other. To me a lot of those South Beach apartment buildings, even though we call them deco are more Bauhaus with some deco-style ornamentation gratuitously applied. My understanding of bauhaus is that it is free of ornamentation, or nearly so.

 

We agree again!

 

Where do we draw the line between this too similar styles, are they twin brothers?

 

"To me a lot of those South Beach apartment buildings, even though we call them deco are more Bauhaus with some deco-style ornamentation gratuitously applied."

I knew I was onto something: South Beach, coastal art deco, inner Bauhaus.

[Rudynate]

We agree again!

 

I knew I was onto something: South Beach, coastal art deco, inner Bauhaus.

 

I could agree with that.