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Did you know that 2025 marks a special anniversary for art deco? While the style dates back to the 1910s, art deco got its name as an abbreviation for the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels (International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts), which took place in Paris in 1925.
An entire century later, art deco’s glamourous craftmanship, bold geometric shapes and opulent colours are as admired as ever. To mark the style’s big one-oh-oh, last week Time Out published a list of the world’s greatest art deco buildings, enlisting the expertise of art deco aficionado Dominic Lutyens.
The list totalled nine buildings around the world, with Lutyens highlighting structures like New York’s Chrysler Building, Miami’s Art Deco Historic District and Mumbai’s Eros Cinema. Also making the cut, however, were buildings from London. A total of three London art deco structures featured in Lutyens’ top nine – including top spot.
Proclaimed the greatest art deco building in the world was, drum roll please… The Daily Express Building on Fleet Street. The Grade II*-listed site, which was designed by Ellis & Clarke in 1932, features a tiered façade made mostly of vitrolite (a kind of opaque plastic glass).
Lutyens writes that the outside is ‘adorned only by gleaming, slimline chrome bands forming a subtle grid’, but the inside is far more glam. ‘Its lobby is sumptuously decorated’, he says, picking out highlights such as steel furniture designed by Betty Joel and gold and silver murals by sculptor Eric Aumonier.
🏛️ The most beautiful buildings in the world.
London was the only city in the ranking to boast more than one entry. The next highest placing structure was Eltham Palace, with the southeast London house placing sixth. Eltham Palace features both the remains of a Tudor palace and art deco additions from the 1930s, and you can find Time Out’s guide to visiting the place here.
Last from London to make the list was the Hoover Building in ninth. The Grade II* listed west London building was designed by Wallis, Gilbert and Partners and opened in 1933 as the UK headquarters of The Hoover Company. It’s since been converted into apartments.
Read the full feature on the world’s greatest art deco buildings here.
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