Aesthetics and ideology revealed : Macau's art deco architecture (1930s-1950s) as a distinctive heritage typology

Abstract

Art Deco architecture emerged in Macau between the 1930s and 1950s. The vast majority of these buildings are in a vulnerable state as they are excluded from legal recognition and protection, not to mention appreciating the values or understanding the significance of these “not looking old” buildings. A comprehensive documentation or historical study of this architecture is also not available in the literature. The situation leaves a gap in the research and conservation of Macau’s Art Deco architecture.

The Art Deco architecture in this study refers to the buildings of different Art Deco periods, namely, Early Art Deco, Streamline Moderne and Transitional Art Deco. The study takes reference from the interwar period colonial urban history research to investigate the origins and development of Macau’s Art Deco architectural heritage as well as compile a complete inventory of the Art Deco buildings in Macau. The values of this heritage typology is assessed based on conservation theories and standards.

By employing an interpretive-historical research approach, the data collection methods encompass archival research, desktop research, and field surveys on different types of evidence. The multiple sources and methods of data collection allow for data integration as well as triangulation, which ensures the data's trustworthiness. The development of Macau’s Art Deco architecture is influenced by the intertwined socio-political, historical, cultural, and personal factors that originated in Macau and Portugal. Such development followed one or a combination of three paths – (i) experimentation, (ii) tropicalization and (iii) modernization and reaffirmation of sovereignty. A development timeline is then drawn from these factors and paths. The significance of this architectural heritage is embedded in the mutual relationship between its tangible quality (aesthetics) and the underlying intangible quality (ideology) that are presented as architectural aesthetic and social values. The origins, development and significance thus justify whether those buildings in this study are a distinctive heritage typology worthy of further interpretation and protection.

This study fills in the missing link in the understanding of the architectural heritage that evolved between the Neo-classical and Modernist periods in Macau and, laterally, contributes to the 20th-century architectural history of the Portuguese Colonial Empire. It validates and expands the theories about the formation and cultural significance of the colonial architecture in the age of Art Deco movement. Practically, it is hoped that this study can provide a foundation for the authorities and cultural sectors to identify, recognize, interpret and protect Macau’s Art Deco architectural heritage and serve as a pedagogic reference for conducting historical research on built-heritage for conservation purpose.