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Googie in the Future

On a recent Saturday morning, these spaces were packed
with customers admiring the buildings, the interiors, and
their breakfasts. Consciously or not, these patrons were
participating in the surviving functional art of their
grandparents’ generation (fig. 9-10). There is no question
that Googie is a star of the Southern California landscape
and it not only inspires those who see it in person, but
those who see it on the big screen. 11 Unfortunately, many
of these spaces have been demolished, nearly demolished,
or threatened for demolition.12 Googie is as important to
the Southern California landscape as the iconic palm trees
and the Hollywood Sign, and its spread throughout the
country during the mid-century is a testament to its wide
appeal. While people may not know of the term Googie, they
certainly are familiar with the style. With today’s current
fascination with mid-century American interiors, it is
important that we recognize Googie’s enduring contribu-
tion. Perhaps paradoxically, these structures, designed with
aspirations for a space aged future, today provide us with an
important portal back in time.

About the Author:

Rachel Cassiman is a Reference and Instruction Librarian at
The New School and Subject Liaison for the Architecture,
Decorative Arts and Interior Design programs at Parsons The
New School of Design. She has a Master’s Degree in Library
Science and a secondary Master’s Degree in Decorative Arts
and Design with a focus in American Modern Architecture
and Interiors. She is a peer-reviewer for Art Documentation:
Journal of the Art Libraries Society of North America and the
Site Librarian for InsideInside.org, a website to encourage
and provoke innovative exploration and research of decoration
as a function of design.