The Art of Public Works

One thing I miss from the Art Deco era, how thoroughly they integrated art into public buildings and projects. It's still done today, and maybe it's just rose-tinted glasses on my part, but it seems like that era had more of it than now.

Take this... this is, basically, an elevator tower for workers going down to the powerhouse and interior workings of Hoover Dam. Utilitarian. And the builders took the opportunity to make gorgeous brass doors, and a series of bas-relief panels on the tower to celebrate the goals of the project.