Colony Hotel, Art Deco hotel on Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, Florida.
The Colony Hotel stands at 736 Ocean Drive as a symmetrical Art Deco structure designed by architect Henry Hohauser and completed in 1935, featuring streamlined geometric forms, horizontal banding, rounded corner eyebrows, and a stepped ziggurat parapet roofline characteristic of the period.
Constructed in 1935 during Miami Beach's recovery from the 1926 hurricane, the hotel was developed as a modern accommodation for middle-class tourists and featured progressive amenities including private bathrooms, telephones, radios, and fireproof concrete and steel construction ensuring safety and durability.
The hotel helped define South Beach's identity as a leisure destination and remains a symbol of Miami Beach's Art Deco legacy, frequently appearing in postcards and photographs that showcase Ocean Drive's neon-lit nighttime scene and its vibrant blend of glamour, history, and architectural style.
The hotel is located in the heart of the Miami Beach Architectural District on Ocean Drive, providing easy access to nearby restaurants, shops, and nightlife, and guided architectural tours through the Miami Design Preservation League offer detailed insights into its design features and historical significance.
The hotel's inverted T-shaped neon sign prominently displays the Colony name and casts a blue glow at night, while interior details include a Vitrolite fireplace mural by artist Paul Simone inspired by Diego Rivera and a geometric wave pattern painted below the roofline.
Location: Miami Beach
Inception: 1935
Architects: Henry Hohauser
Architectural style: Art Deco architecture
Part of: Miami Beach Architectural District
Address: 736 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach, Florida
GPS coordinates: 25.77743,-80.13141
Latest update: December 1, 2025 07:55
Art Deco shaped cities from the early 1920s through the late 1930s. The style combines geometric patterns, metallic surfaces, and decorative ornament with functional architecture. Buildings display characteristic vertical lines, stepped forms, and symmetrical facades. The Chrysler Building in New York and Marine Building in Vancouver demonstrate the height and elegance of the style in skyscrapers. The Palais de Tokyo in Paris and Museum of Applied Arts in Budapest show its cultural applications. The Hoover Building in London and Daily Express Building in Manchester represent commercial architecture of the era. Cincinnati Union Terminal, Warner Theatre in Washington, and Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles document the style's popularity in public buildings. The reach extended worldwide. Edificio Bacardi in Havana, Kavanagh building in Buenos Aires, and New India Assurance Building in Mumbai show regional interpretations. Villa Empain and Stoclet Palace in Brussels, Municipal House in Prague, Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum, and Universum Kino in Berlin document European and Asian presence. Tiong Bahru Estate in Singapore demonstrates the application to residential developments. The Miami Design Preservation League preserves one of the largest concentrations of Art Deco buildings in the United States. This collection includes public, private, and commercial structures that document the movement's international influence.
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