Miami Beach has always been a welcoming place to creatively play with new styles, shapes, and colors in fashion and architecture. To this day if you take a stroll down any street in Miami Beach, you will find inspiration on every corner. Artists have flocked to this area for its’ accepting and open-minded people giving way to a freedom of expression.  Today, we celebrate the history of the influence of Art Deco and MiMo architecture on our great city, Miami Beach!

Modern Miami Architecture - 700 Euclid - Art Deco 30s - Art Deco and MiMo Architecture in Miami Beach

Art Deco in Miami Beach from the 30's:

700 Euclid Ave. Miami Beach, FL 33139

Art Deco was most prominent during the Roaring 20’s, the Dirty 30’s and the Flying 40’s.  Henry Hohauser, an architect in South Beach, Miami Beach in the 30’s, was incredibly influential in Art Deco architecture.  In fact, in 1993, he was noted in the list of The Miami Herald’s 100 most influential people in South Florida history. Some of his work, almost 90 years later, is still in preservation today!  Stop by the Miami Beach Welcome Center to take a guided tour of the history of Art Deco.

Architectural trends like smoother stucco-ed walls, aviation and nautical themes, neon colors, eyebrows and flat roofs, define Art Deco.  Miami Beach buildings began to appear sleeker with rounded corners, mimicking airplanes and ships. During the depression in the 30’s the “flashiest” components of the trend were toned down.  Art Deco eventually came to an end with WWII.

Modern Miami Architecture - 942 Lenox - MiMO Art Deco and MiMo Architecture in Miami Beach

Miami Modern (MiMo) Architecture:

942 Lenox Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139

Post WWII, the Americans enjoyed peace, abundance and a thriving middle-class.  This was the dawn of Miami Modern, MiMo, architecture. MiMo shares similarities to Art Deco with its modern influence , eyebrows and flat roofs, but the 50’s and 60’s were a much more playful and carefree time.  In the North Beach, Miami Beach area, you will find the majority of MiMo influence characterized by garden-style buildings with cheese holes, acute angles, delta wings, mosaic tile and murals.  Many of these trends had a purpose outside of just creating visual interest for passersbys. The ledges above windows, aka: eyebrows, created shade and helped to keep interiors cool in the Miami Beach subtropical temperatures.  The MiMo style was not only fun for those with an artistic side but also warm and welcoming for the whole family.

Modern Miami Architecture 320 86h St - MiMo 2 Art Deco and MiMo Architecture in Miami Beach

Art Deco and Miami Modern (MiMo) Architecture:

320 86th St, Miami Beach, FL 33141

Post WWII, the Americans enjoyed peace, abundance and a thriving middle-class.  This was the dawn of Miami Modern, MiMo, architecture. MiMo shares similarities to Art Deco with its modern influence , eyebrows and flat roofs, but the 50’s and 60’s were a much more playful and carefree time.  In the North Beach, Miami Beach area, you will find the majority of MiMo influence characterized by garden-style buildings with cheese holes, acute angles, delta wings, mosaic tile and murals.  Many of these trends had a purpose outside of just creating visual interest for passersbys. The ledges above windows, aka: eyebrows, created shade and helped to keep interiors cool in the Miami Beach subtropical temperatures.  The MiMo style was not only fun for those with an artistic side but also warm and welcoming for the whole family.

Modern Miami Architecture REgions Bank - NOBe MImo Art Deco and MiMo Architecture in Miami Beach

Regions Bank in Miami Beach:

780 Arthur Godfrey Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33140

We at Urban Resource, located in North Beach, Miami Beach, have the pleasure of enjoying Art Deco architecture in South Beach and MiMo architecture in North Beach every day.  Many call us local experts since we have dedicated our life’s work to the thriving Miami Beach area. We live here, work here, and play here. If you are looking to make Miami Beach your next home, reach out to us!  We are happy to share our combined team experience of over 200 years!