Even though Mayans and Aztecs lived hundreds of years ago in what is now Mexico and several of the countries that form Central America, people nowadays take plenty of inspiration from them; from a fascination of Mayan astronomical knowledge, to a newfound interest in pre-Hispanic cuisine, to trying to figure out what in the world the Aztec calendar is really about. Well, this isn’t new, actually.
In the 1920s, Frank Lloyd Wright found inspiration in architectural styles of Aztecs, Mayans and other pre-Hispanic civilizations and even incorporated them into his building designs, most notably on the houses he built in Southern California. This was part of a small movement that came even before Art Deco, and it even thrived in the United States before this movement took the world. Many of these buildings survive to this day, specially in the cities that were bustling in the 1920s. Los Angeles, however, is perhaps the best example of this since Lloyd Wright built several houses in this style: the Alice Millard house, Hollyhock, Derby house among others.
@dcartdecoIf you take a look at the styles they are at once attention grabbing. But I wouldn’t call them particularly homely. The really are like Mayan temples in that they have open spaces and opaque colors, endless geometrical patterns (usually square), and are also found themselves in the middle of Southern Californian outdoors. These houses are now either empty or completely underused, again, much like mayan temple. So one can’t help but wonder what was the purpose of them in the first place? Though it’s unclear when the term originated, we can find examples of pre-Columbian inspired architecture all around the United States. Most notable examples are the houses built by Lloyd Wright, but there are some such buildings in Detroit, Florida and Washington DC. You name it.
Even though Mayans and Aztecs lived hundreds of years ago in what is now Mexico and several of the countries that form Central America, people nowadays take plenty of inspiration from them. From a fascination of Mayan astronomical knowledge, to a newfound interest in pre-Hispanic cuisine, to trying to figure out what in the world the Aztec calendar is really about. Well, this isn’t new, actually.
In the 1920s, Frank Lloyd Wright found inspiration in architectural styles of Aztecs, Mayans and other pre-Hispanic civilizations and even incorporated them into his building designs, most notably on the houses he built in Southern California. This was part of a small movement that came even before Art Deco, and it even thrived in the United States before this movement took the world. Many of these buildings survive to this day, specially in the cities that were bustling in the 1920s. Los Angeles, however, is perhaps the best example of this since Lloyd Wright built several houses in this style: the Alice Millard house, Hollyhock, Derby house among others.
Though it’s unclear when the term originated, we can find examples of pre-Columbian inspired architecture all around the United States. Most notable examples are the houses built by Lloyd Wright, but there are some such buildings in Detroit, Florida and Washington DC.
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