Damian Rudys

In January 1977, when Miami Beach was far from the glamorous, pastel-washed destination we know today, a small band of preservationists staged something entirely new: the very first Art Deco Weekend . It wasn’t a festival then—more like a bold experiment, a public plea, and a line drawn in the sand. South Beach at the time was facing a crisis. Developers saw the aging 1930s buildings not as treasures but as outdated relics taking up valuable oceanfront space. Demolition crews were circling....

My job is to walk backwards — with passion, precision, and exceptional ratings to prove it. To me, Miami Beach is like a treasure chest: the buildings are its gold and silver, lobbies are its pearls, and the colors are its sapphires. Every day I lead travelers through the charming streets, lobbies, rooftops, and hidden alleys, and together we unveil this treasure. Art Deco Walking Tour People pay me to show them the world they’re already standing in — but can’t see. They follow me for two...

Grill reached full ornamental expression in the 1920s–30s Art Deco period, when industrial ventilation patterns became deliberate ornamental symbols of modern design. But that story doesn’t begin there. Rolls-Royce Phantom I (1925–31) Grill goes as far back as Ancient Egypt - decorative stone lattice in temples. The main purpose of a grill (a perforated barrier) was ventilation, light entry, and protection. The modern visual idea of a grill as style element started with cars. They went...