Art deco is a design style that was popular in the 1920s and 1930s. It is characterised by strong geometric and stylised shapes presented in a repetitive pattern. The style is heavily influenced by the industrial revolution and therefore showcases machine-made materials and shapes. It follows aspects such as symmetry, planarity, simplicity and repetition. An art deco piece is usually composed of a simple, clean geometric shape that can be representational of objects such as flowers, leaves, birds, animals, etc. The shape is built using plastics, concrete, glass and is combined with naturally occurring substances such as jade, precious stones, gold etc.

Art Deco is said to have its roots in 19th century France at the end of the Art Nouveau era. Art Nouveau was a design style that was inspired by nature and therefore used a lot of spherical and naturally occurring shapes. Pieces that showcase the Art Nouveau style are intricate, stylised and flowy in its compositions. Art Deco came up as a response to Art Nouveau. It represented a move towards modernity and industrialisation emphasising on a sleek geometric aesthetic. Art Deco was extremely popular in the United States and Western Europe in the 1930s.

Famously the Rockefeller Centre, the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building are all examples of the Art Deco style.