Stroll the streets of Back Bay and Downtown and discover the rich collection of Art Deco architecture that Boston has to offer, including some of the finest examples in the country.  While the iconic stepped-back Art Deco skyscraper was late in arriving in Boston due to height restrictions that were not changed until the end of the 1920s, in the years before the onset of World War II, and just after its end, Boston became home to numerous examples of the style.
Architectural works by Cram & Ferguson, Thomas James, Richard Shaw, Arthur Bowditch and Harold Field Kellogg are featured.  From the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade to Post Office Square and the United Shoe Machinery Corporation headquarters (now The Landmark) on High Street, take a closer look at the iconic Art Deco buildings in our city that often go unnoticed.
Boston’s Art Deco buildings reflect both the earlier, more elaborate French style of Art Deco, and its later streamlined “Moderne” phase.  In addition to those which still proudly exist, we will also visit some that were proposed but never built, and some that are gone forever.
As part of the program we look at the origins and development of the Art Deco style, how to recognize it, hallmarks of the style in architecture, what the difference is between the French style and the later Moderne and Streamlined styles, etc., as reflected in the design of the buildings.
About the Presenter
Tony Fusco is Director of Fusco & Four Marketing and Public Relations, and co-producer of Boston Design Week. He is the author of five books including: Instant Expert: Collecting Art Deco (2004); Confident Collector Art Deco Identification and Price Guide, (1993) and Confident Collector Poster Identification and Price Guide (1994). He is published in many fields, specializing in the arts, entertainment, travel, antiques and 20th century design.  His by-line has appeared in over 50 periodicals including publications such as Boston Magazine, Boston Phoenix, Yankee Magazine, Antiques and the Arts Weekly, Art Business News and others.

He served as Facilitator for the International Coalition of Art Deco Societies (ICADS) from 1992 to 1999, where he organized numerous World Congress on Art Deco events in the U.S. and abroad. He also served for many years on the Board of the Boston Preservation Alliance. Currently, he represents Boston as a member of World Design Weeks, an international coalition of design weeks and festivals created to share knowledge, resources, and best practices, and foster the exchange of ideas and design solutions for sustainable development worldwide.