Architecture During the Great Depression: What Architecture Students Need to Know
A commercial building with a wooden façade in a forest on an overcast day.Architecture During the Great Depression: What Architecture Students Need to Know

The Great Depression is a milestone in the development of humanity. There were 10 years of unemployment, steep declines in any domain, of failing companies. Many essays were written as an analysis of this period and its trigger. It is an important milestone we have many to learn about as it generated a lot of changes afterward.

Everything was distinct, including the architecture of the buildings. From the greatest pain arises the most beautiful works of art, so art during the Great Depression depicts society and landscapes in how artists saw them. But how was architecture influenced by these major disruptions in society?

Art During the Great Depression

If we take a look at the Great Depression artists, we can say that their works of art represent essential proofs of how the world unfolded then. Not all influences we notice in the art during those times are realistic.

However, they are inspired by music and urban landscapes, and the art of cubists. Reading more about art during this time is a task many students have during college. You can find The Great Depression essays and ideas online easily. They can shed more light on how everyone suffered from the unstable economic climate during those times. You can find even free essay examples that can help students write powerful essays about this troubling period. During the Great Depression, artists created and encouraged revolutionary creative movements, many of which gained international momentum. Any student can write a research paper on this topic, as there are many examples.

Essential Features of Architecture

It is clear that the houses during the great depression were different. Before it, the architecture domain was booming. Elaborate and impressive buildings were ruling that period. However, then The Great Depression came, stocks crashed, banks failed, people panicked, and a lot of companies laid off their workers. All great depression projects when it comes to architecture were diminished.

As they did not have the same budgets as before but seriously shrank ones, buildings were smaller and less elaborate. Before the great depression, architecture was dominated by skyscrapers, factories, or modest duplexes. A lot of houses were built as government buildings or homes for wealthy people. The architecture was booming in the 1920s but it was kind of halted during The Great Depression.

A pause in the building was experienced and a shift towards other building materials happened. As the budgets were way lower than before, new building materials were tested. And this happened gradually, which gave constructors the time to choose the new best building materials that are affordable too. However, it is essential to note that the style of the buildings was not affected by this recession. Housing in the great depression was significantly altered by the economic changes. But how art changed due to this period created a new modern style, with fewer ornaments or architecture.

Examples of the Great Depression Architecture

There are great depression artifacts anyone should know, as they shed more light on the architectural projects of those times. Many of these were planned during the 1920s, but the actual building started during The Great Depression or after it. However, they are iconic for that period. For example, the Hoover Dam, also known as the “Boulder Canyon Project” is a dam whose planning started during the 1920s. However, its construction started in 1935 with financial help from the PWA. It is interesting and nice to see that impressive architectural projects were planned and undergoing during that period.

Another noteworthy example of the Great Depression architecture is the Triborough Bridge in New York. Now known as the Robert Kennedy Bridge, it was opened in 1936 with the financial support of the PWA and it turned into a construction facility, a bridge that connects Queens, Manhattan, and Bronx.

Final Thoughts

As a student who loves architecture and arts and wants to boost their knowledge on this topic, the Great Depression is an important period that generated changes you need to know about.

The shrinking of the budgets affected the size and speed of building, but it also gave time to discover new innovative, and more affordable building materials. New perspectives in art led to a new wave that influenced the ornaments and decorations of buildings too.