What is Art Moderne?
Much like Art Deco, Art Moderne (also called Streamline Moderne) is a visual arts style of design that was most prevalent in the 1930s and 1940s. Art Moderne and Art Deco both contain industrial elements in their design (reflecting the period’s embracement of technology), but unlike Art Deco, Art Moderne is stripped of ornamentation in favor of
a sleek, aerodynamic look. Fundamentals in Art Moderne architecture include horizontal orientation, rounded corners, smooth exterior surfaces, and horizontal lines or grooves. Glass brick walls, corner windows and porthole windows are popular in this type of design as are chrome fixtures. Base colors are typically subdued earth tones and trim is typically dark in color or made of a bright metal.
In the 1930s and 1940s this streamlined look was everywhere, from the cars people drove to their toasters, clocks, and other home appliances. Art Moderne was the way of the future, and because the design appeared science-based, there was an illusion of higher quality (whether or not that was actually the case). Even in an agriculture-based state like Montana, there were (and are) people drawn to this smooth, streamlined look. Whether it’s a bar, restaurant, hotel, or public service building, there are examples of Art Moderne under the Big Sky.
The Great Falls Bus Depot
The Great Falls Bus Depot is one of many Montana buildings designed in a style that promised a better future through technology. It was built by Greyhound Lines along with dozens of others during the company’s post-WWII expansion. Each of Greyhound’s bus depots was to visually embody a sense of speed and efficiency; thus, Art Moderne was the architectural style of choice and was adopted as part of the company’s identity in the 1940s.
Construction on the Great Falls Bus Depot was completed in 1947. Its streamlined design mirrored the sleekness of Greyhound’s Silverside buses and inspired confidence in the company’s reliability. The mass of the building was built low and horizontal, surfaces are smooth and rounded, and the walls are predominantly light-colored terra cotta arranged in a square grid pattern. Two solid bands of horizontal plate windows line the depot with thin metal dividers and a metal-accented hood. A neon sign that reads “Bus Depot” adorns the front.
In 1994, Greyhound Lines moved to a new location, leaving the depot vacant. Six years later, the Great Falls Transit District was able to acquire the building and open it as a transfer center for public transportation. GFTD did extensive refurbishing to make the building look as it did when it first opened in the 1940s. Unlike before, when GFTD passengers had to wait outside on noisy streets, exposed to the elements, they now have a beautifully restored building to relax at before the bus arrives. The Great Falls Bus Depot has been and continues to be a community treasure.
The Florence
The Florence Hotel in downtown Missoula has been through many incarnations throughout the years. Originally constructed in 1888, The Florence was destroyed by a fire in 1913 and was rebuilt larger than before only to burn again in 1936. At that time, there were no other major hotels in Missoula. Despite the Great Depression, community business leaders realized that the hotel was a necessary investment and with the support of the city, they rebuilt The Florence into a seven-story “jewel of a hotel” which was completed in 1941.
Designed in the Art Moderne style of architecture, The Florence is longer than it is tall, with rounded corners, and a light base color with dark, horizontal trimming. When it opened in the 1940s, it was ahead of its time. It offered underground parking for the growing number of automobile owners and contained the first central air conditioning system in the Northwest.
The sleekness of the building and the charm of Missoula brought people of notoriety to The Florence’s door. In fact, John Wayne stayed there and is said to have used the underground tunnels beneath the hotel. Through Missoula’s tunnel system, he was able to access the Missoula Mercantile across the street and shop afterhours without being bothered by fans.
Although The Florence stopped operating as a hotel in the 1970s, its current owners at ALPS (a lawyers’ malpractice insurance company) have worked hard to keep much of the building true to its origins. Besides housing ALPS headquarters, other office space, and retail businesses, ALPS rents out The Florence’s ballroom (called “the Governor’s Room”) for social gatherings such as weddings. The room is simple, classy, and contains some minor Art Moderne elements. ALPS also restored the hotel lobby and made it available for public use. People can grab a beverage from the coffee shop (designed in the Art Moderne motif) or order a glass of wine from the neighboring restaurant, the Red Bird, and drink it while admiring The Florence’s historic architecture.