Art Deco Contest Entries and Winners!

Hullo!! We received some excellent entries from some of our stuffie pals. It's amazing how many pop out of the woodwork when there's a contest on the go. Alright... without much ado... let's meet our entrants!

Baxter's entry

First up, we have Baxter's entry from Seaside, Oregon, where he took some pics of the Funland entertainment centre. It was built in 1929-1931 and has housed a number of arcades over the years.

It's definitely a pretty cool art deco entry!

Jelly Beanie's Entry

Next up, we have Jelly Beanie's entry!! He found a cool art deco building in Putney, London. It's definitely beary nice!!

Little Fox's Entry

Then, of course, we have Little Fox with a dark horse entry from Miami of all places!!

He found the Tony Hotel which was originally designed and built in 1939 by L. Murray Dixon, a master architect responsible for many of the Art Deco buildings that line Collins Avenue and Ocean Drive. Dixon’s signature style, embodied in this hotel, included streamlined curves, jutting towers, window “eyebrows,” and neon. 

Originally named The Tiffany (and subsequently renamed The Hotel of South Beach), the hotel’s rooftop “Tiffany” spire is an historic landmark, towering majestically over Collins Avenue for more than 80 years. In 1985, legendary placemaker Tony Goldman visited South Beach for the first time and fell in love. He saw past the blight and dilapidated buildings that plagued South Beach at the time and envisioned the American Riviera. He spent the next 27 years of his life leading the renaissance of South Beach, fighting to preserve its history while also envisioning its future as a pedestrian destination where people from all walks of life could enjoy its natural beauty in an inclusive community. 

Tony Goldman bought and methodically restored the hotel, among other properties, and in 1998 enlisted fashion designer Todd Oldham to infuse the hotel with the rich colors, shapes, and textures emblematic of the Art Deco era. 

The renaming of the hotel as The Tony Hotel South Beach in 2022, on the tenth anniversary of his passing, was a fitting tribute to Tony Goldman by his family, who still own and operate the hotel to this day.

An excellent entry!

Kidney Beanie's Entry

Kidney Beanie submitted an entry which is technically Art Nourveau but has nods to Art Deco - the Blackfriar's Pub! Extra points for finding a pub! The pub is a Grade 2 listed building built on the site of a medieval Dominican friary and then remodelled in 1905 by architect Herbert Fuller-Clark

It's an odd-shaped building because all of it's neighbours have long since been demolished!

It was almost demolished the in the 1960s but public outcry saved it!

Excellent entry!

Choya's Entry

Next up... we have Choya's entry from Seattle! This is the Federal Office Building, completed in 1931-1933. It was designed by James A. Wetmore.

A beary striking entry!! Good choice, Choya!

Beanie Mouse's Entry

Next up... we have Beanie Mouse's entry from London, the world famous Ibex House at the Minories in London. That's "Min - as in Minnie - Ories" and NOT "Mine - ories" and it's not far from the Tower of London.

It is really quite nice! It's a Grade 2 listed Art Deco building, with eleven storeys, designed by Fuller, Hall and Foulsham in the Streamline Moderne style with bands of faience cladding and black framed windows. It was built 1935-1937 and received the Grade 2 listing in 1982

Sandy says Beanie gets extra points for getting a Starbucks logo in the picture... although a hot chocolate would have garnered even more points!

It's a Grade 2 listed Art Deco building, with eleven storeys, designed by Fuller, Hall and Foulsham in the Streamline Moderne style with bands of faience cladding and black framed windows.

Building started in 1935 and completed in 1937 - receiving the Grade 2 listing in 1982

Purple Rabbit's Entry

Finally, we have Purple Rabbit's entry, the Edmonds Theatre in... Edmond WA, just north of Seattle. It was built in 1923 and was a vaudeville theatre! It's muted and subdued but those clean early Art Deco lines are unmistakable...

String Beanie's Entry

Anndddd.... a last minute, dark horse, under-the-wire entry from String Beanie!! But with a beary strong entry! The Victoria Coach Station! This is an excellent choice! Such a classic building, designed by the famous  Wallis, Gilbert and Partners. The same company was also responsible for a series of extraordinary Art Deco factory buildings in West London, most of them on the A4 Great West Road. Nice job String Beanie!

And the Winners Are...!!

1st Place

Is a tie between Choya and String Beanie!!! The Victoria Coach Station is a classic and the Federal Building in Seattle has amazing details!

2nd Place

Another tie between Baxter, Little Fox, Jelly Beanie and Beanie Mouse! Judges loved something about each of them and after much debate... couldn't decide... so a tie it is!

3rd Place

Another tie between Kidney Beanie and Purple Rabbit! The early Art Deco and Art Nouveau each have some excellent qualities!

Prizes will be mailed out in mid-December... once we are sure the new agreement between Canada Post and its union is firmly in place. Contestants can squabble amongst themselves as to which prize is First, Second or Third!

Thanks for all the entries! And keep taking those pics! You never know when another Randomly Scheduled Art Deco Contest might pop-up!

Third Not-Annual Art Deco Contest - Reminder of Deadline - 30 November 2025

Hullo!!! I just wanted to remind all stuffies... the deadline for the Third Not-Annual Art Deco Contest is coming up on November 30... get your entries in!!

Check the link for rules... Beanie & Co.... looking at you, Mice.... Little Fox is ahead of you and has several stuffies already entered... And this pic you took at Ibex House would be perfect!!! Get your little mouse tails in gear!

 

Sandy's Third Randomly-Scheduled Art Deco Architecture Contest

Hullo!! Sandy Bear here, and I came across a tragical tale the other day which has inspired me... Soooo...

This lovely building was the Georgia Medical and Dental Building (GMDB). It was built in 1927-1929 and was a stellar example of art deco architecture in Vancouver. It was the first art deco skyscraper in Vancouver! Pretty, isn't it?? It was designed by the same people who designed the Marine Building! And we all know how much I love the Marine Building...

It was across from the Hotel Vancouver - that's it in the background on the right...

The GMDB building had these 10 foot high terra cotta nurse statues on the outside of the 10th floor...

They were called the Rhea sisters and the three of them were nicknamed "Gono," "Pyor," and "Dia" (funny, eh?).

If you've been paying attention... you've probably noticed that I've been referring to the building in the past tense... sigh...

In 1989... the building was demolished with one of those controlled explosions. It created quite a stir and after that the City of Vancouver did more to protect historical heritage buildings. The reason for the demolition... it wasn't earthquake proof. Sigh.

Scandalous!!! Really. They did save the Rhea sisters... and one of them is on a building up at UBC!

They replaced the GMDB with a building now called Cathedral Place (cause it's next to the Anglican Cathedral. This new building has a fibreglass replica of a Rhea Sister. Hmph...

Anyhow... this story inspired me to hold the 3rd Randomly-Scheduled Art Deco Architecture Contest!! It's nothing like being an annual contest... although the last ones were in 2019 and then 2021... anyhoo...

3rd Randomly-Scheduled Art Deco Architecture Contest

The idea is... get a picture of yourself (the stuffie... not the human) in front of an Art Deco building where you live (or travel)... more details below... Building should be in focus... stuffies can be out of focus... as they usually are...

Contest Details:

Take a picture of you (the stuffie) in front of an Art Deco building where you live (or travel).

One entry per stuffie. If there is more than one stuffie in your household... well... then you can have one entry for each stuffie... Maximum of 3 (or 4 or 5) stuffies per household (looking at you Beanie Mouse & Co... and you Little Fox & Co!!!)

You can send the pic via email or post on your blog and send me the link... (littlecanadianbear {at} gmail {dot} com)

Winners chosen by random draw...

Prizes sent out by Canada Post (as long as it's not on strike (again)).

Deadline for submissions: November 30, 2025

More Info on the Tragic Georgia Medical and Dental Building

Vancouver's First Art Deco Skyscraper Crumbles Down -

Georgia Medical Dental Building demolition - YouTube

The Georgia Medical-Dental Building | Eve Lazarus

Finding the Rhea Sisters   | Eve Lazarus

A Back Alley Deal in Vancouver

 Alright... after that last mystery adventure, I asked more questions before I stowed away in Mama's backpack... which isn't really stowing away anymore but... bears beware of mystery trips! Anyhow... Mama said I could come on this one and... spiff up!

We went to Vancouver and saw Rose!!

And their dog Lexie... who tends to view me with rather predatory eyes... I won't even mention the number of stuffies that have succumbed to her teeth!

Anyhow... let's go!!!

We are going on an adventure and... it involves a back alley deal!!!

Seeeee... city street but... what lurks in the back alleys??

Other than Rose of course...

Let's go!

Well, there's some cool art work...

Now we are waiting for our contact to show up...

Rose says it'll likely be that door over there...

No one here yet...

Make sure the coast is clear...

Nope, no one sees us!

Oh wait... it's the OTHER door!!!

Oooohhhh... wonder what we are getting... back alley salmon? Bread? hot chocolate?....

Ah-hah!!!! Theatre tickets!!!!!! Rose has connections you know!

We are up in the balcony!!

This is a pretty cool theatre. It was built in the 1930s and has an art deco exterior and a neoclassical interior. It showed movies throughout most of its life until it was closed in 1991. Isn't it cool? This was taken in 1940...

There was talk of demolition (gasp) and it was then converted into a live-theatre venue and reopened in 1998 with some fancy renos and restoration of the goldleaf in the dome.

The dome is pretty cool!!! You can't see it, but on this near side, there are openings for the spot lights that track actors. There are actually two people up in the ceiling above us who move the spots!

Seeee!!! Isn't that neat???

Mama says she watched movies back here in the Middle Ages (yep... before 1991). She remembers Stark Trek 3 when the theatre had Dolby surround sound... it was seriously cool! Those scalloped lights are pretty neat...

Up there, that's the booth where the stage manager sits and a few other people... it has a trap door in the ceiling for the spot light people... AND... there is a live band in a room behind there!!! They announced it at the start of the show that a live band was providing the music... it was pretty cool.

Thanks for the tickets Rose!!!

Alright... I'm ready!!!!

Ready... let's go!!!

***2.5 hours later***

A beary good show!!! But it is almost 10:30 pm and this little bear is tuckered out... zzzzzz