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During the 1920s and 1930s, freedom of expression and a prefer-
ence for aesthetic appearance over functional performance be-
came prevalent throughout most of the modern world. Two of the
most predominant and popular styles in graphic design in the built
environment to emerge during this time period were art deco and
streamline moderne.
Art deco, a direct counterpoint to its decorative and organic
predecessor Art Nouveau, was represented in practically every
facet of the applied arts, especially graphic design in the built en-
vironment, and was characterized by linear symmetry, geometry,
sleek forms, and design motifs derived from Machine Age aesthet-
ics—French decorative cubism, German Bauhaus, Italian futurism,
and Russian constructivism. ...