Architecture of Whimsy: Mid-20th-Century Modern Architecture in South Florida

This fascinating lexicon examines the quixotic architectural expressions found on select mid-20th-century modern commercial buildings in South Florida. Showcasing the work of 13 noted architects from Miami Beach to Fort Lauderdale, it highlights the playful decorative details and gestures - swooping overhangs, brise-soleil, cheese holes and arches, and screening - that expressed the era’s shiny optimism and the region’s carefree resort culture. With brief bios of the architects and street maps pinpointing the location of each building, this book offers tourists, architects, history buffs, and preservationists a new context and appreciation for these works of art, many of which are endangered. AUTHOR: Arthur Jay Marcus is an architect, photographer, and historical preservationist living in South Florida since 1992. A native of Philadelphia, he received a BA from Temple University and a master’s degree in architecture from Carnegie Mellon University. 115 colour and b/w images