Zigzags & Chevrons
Zigzags and sharp angles are a typical motif of Art Deco and Expressionism. They became a popular feature worldwide, including the American Zigzag Moderne, after the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris.
Zigzags on the entrance portal and the front door’s window (1928-1930)
Other characteristics: Colorful Facades
While Art Deco is decorative and optimistic, Expressionism used the nervous geometry of zigzags and chevrons with their sharp angles to convey the tension and upheaval of the time. Post-war society had to deal with the shock of industrialized warfare, and felt charged due to the inner turmoil of an increasingly instabile democracy.
In the Weimar Republic, these forms often appeared in entrance portals, window surrounds, façade ornament, and rooflines.
Chevrons on the roofline and in between stories (1927-1928)
Other characteristics: Clinker Bricks • Colorful Facades
Chevrons on entrance portal and windows (1924-1926). The facade is otherwise very historicist, typical of the more conservative culture in Bavaria.