An architecture style that fascinates me. Perhaps because, as far as I know, examples outside of the US are few and far between (off the top of my head can't think of one such building in the UK). And, again as far as I know, there haven't been any revivals or neo-googie or anything like that. And also, like everyone else I guess, I dig Deco and Internaional Moderne styles... so of course the trashy plastic low version of it is bound to appeal to me.
The name is probably not that well known - but as soon as you see one thing you will instantly know exactly what I'm on about. A style most associated with diners - made of both curved and jagged shapes, boomerangs and representations of the atom are common themes.
I think googie was someone's nickname and they owned or at least gave their name to a restaurant in the atomic age style - and ultimately they gave their name to the style itself
So yeah, it was perfect for diners, bowling alleys and drive-in cinemas. Big and flashy so you could see it from the road in the age of the motor-car.
But not just teenage hang-outs - Theme Building LAX
Chemosphere private residence in LA (and Lautner did another one similar to this - think it was a solution to the plot of land that was sold for next to nothing cos they thought it wouldn't be possible to build on)
In fact, I think the look I like is maybe not so much googie buildings, but the interior and the plastic fashion that (I imagine) goes along with it, though I don't know if that is even technically called googie. As a rule, I think dressing like someone from a past age is kinda silly - sure one can maybe use elements of various styles from the past but (as I've no doubt said before) dressing completely in period costume as a rockabilly or teddy boy or something just doesn't make sense to me. But, that said, when you see pictures of people in space age style then I can imagine someone wearing it today - probably cos it's so ridiculous that I don't think anyone ever really wore it (did they?) and thus if one were to wear it, it could still be seen as a new style.
Pierre Cardin was associated with the look I suppose
And speaking of Cardin he had that famous and ridiculous house
Who wouldn't want to live in that place or the chemosphere house above and sink into this chair
Mix up some cocktails in your shaker thing while listening to quadrophonic space age sounds on this record player (they have one of these for sale in a record shop in Lisbon - it's not that expensive, but it is a bit knackered).
Or maybe this one
What music though?
This feels right to me but it's just a guess really
I've got this record somewhere (but it's mainly spoken word)
The plastic fashion is perfect for weird sunglasses
Renard Space Age sunglasses
Renard Space Age sunglasses
And of course there is one famous town built entirely in the googie style
The Jetsons
So... show me some more cool buildings, especially in the UK or Europe... or Africa. Not in LA basically. Tell me what the men wore, space age fashion always seems to be for girls. Teach me more about music. Show me furniture and accessories and explain to me why it went away and never came back.