History: The Commodore Ballroom, originally named the Commodore Cabaret, was designed by an architect named H.H Gillingham and built by George Conrad Reifel. The ballroom was completed in 1929 but shut down soon after because of the Great Depression, which caused many theatres on granville street to close. Most people were struggling to feed their families or afford a living space, and didn’t have any leisure time to visit the ballroom or enjoy the entertainment and music venues. This became a problem for the Commodore Ballroom because it delayed the development of the club, which was built in the “Art deco style”. This art style originated in France and quickly spread like a forest fire. This was also referred to as Arts Décoratifs or Style moderne, and heavily influenced many architects during 1920s and 1930s. Reopened four months later in November, 1930, the Commodore Ballroom was intended to be an alternative to the crowded ballroom in the Hotel Vancouver, but instead became the most influential club in North America .
The popular “art deco style” was a unique movement that had a huge impact on the art world during the years between 1920 to 1930. The style was created back in 1920 and evolved into a major innovation in western Europe and the United states during the 1930s. The name originated from the exposition internationale des art décoratifs et industriels modernes, held in Paris in 1925 where it was first unveiled. People were amazed and the art style was frequently reproduced by many different artists. The art movement was used for luxury items and mass produced items. A majority of the products were created by upper class businessmen. The Commodore Ballroom was created by architect named H.H gillingham, who used the art deco style. Sadly the art deco style died out during the late 1930s. written by: J.L. posted by: F.J.