The 1950s saw an explosion in the rate of both residential and commercial construction. While the ranch house or a scaled-down version of the Cape Cod became the standard for residential buildings, commercial architecture took off on a more diverse path. There was an emphasis on expansion away from a centralized downtown, and towards the quickly developing suburbs and highways.
Everyone is familiar with the commercial icons of the age-The Seagram Building, Lever House, etc-but more “down home” examples contribute just as much to smaller communities as these giants that enhance the New York skyline do. The same design principles and building materials are used, just on a more diminutive scale. Like in the larger buildings, exposed steel frames are visible on the exterior of buildings, with large sheets of glass visible behind them. Pre-fabricated panels with bright enamel coatings were used, as well as embossed aluminum panels. Clean, simple lines, a minimum of decoration, and a flat or angled roofline characterize most of the International style buildings of the time.
A less high-design-oriented style would utilize a mix of more traditional materials, such as brick or stone, with metal spandrel and vertical elements, and large panes of glass. Other materials used frequently during the 1950s include stainless steel, marble, terrazzo, and of course Formica and other plastic laminates on interiors.
Another variation of 1950s commercial architecture is the phenomenon of roadside architecture. With such a huge emphasis placed on the automobile, it is no surprise that some of the most memorable pieces of architecture from the period are drive-in restaurants, fast food establishments, roadside diners, trailer camps, drive-in theaters, and gas stations. As the country became more and more mobile, it became necessary for the traveler to have every convenience at his fingertips, be it a decent meal, a comfortable bed, or even entertainment. The number of these buildings greatly increased during the 50s, as they became links from the old downtown to the new highways.
It is unfortunate that 1950s commercial buildings remain a sorely neglected part of our architectural heritage. With time, we will come to appreciate even the buildings of our most recent past. After all, as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis once said, “We are the only country in the world that trashes its old buildings and neighborhoods. Too late, we realize how much we need them.”
