Googie vs Streamline Moderne
Googie evolved from Streamline Moderne — inherited Streamline Moderne's aerodynamic curves and speed imagery, amplified into Space Age theatricality.
Googie
An exuberant Space Age commercial style of postwar America — upswept roofs, boomerang and starburst motifs, bold signage, and futuristic optimism aimed at the passing motorist.
- Upswept, cantilevered, or parabolic rooflines
- Space Age motifs: starbursts, boomerangs, atoms
- Bold pylons and dramatic exaggerated signage
- Expansive plate glass and exposed structural daring
- Futuristic, car-oriented commercial showmanship
Streamline Moderne
The aerodynamic, late phase of Deco — curved corners, smooth horizontal lines, and a nautical, machine-for-speed look.
- Rounded, curved corners
- Long horizontal lines and banding ('speed stripes')
- Smooth, unornamented stucco surfaces (often white/pastel)
- Porthole windows and nautical detailing
- Flat roofs and a sense of aerodynamic motion
At a glance
| Googie | Streamline Moderne | |
|---|---|---|
| Era | 1945–1970 | 1930s–1940s |
| Discipline | Architecture | Architecture |
| Region | United States, Southern California | United States, Worldwide |
| Family | Modernism | Deco family, Modernism |
| Formal traits | upswept, space-age, exaggerated, neon | geometric, curved, minimal, aerodynamic |
More comparisons
Advertisement