Post #637681 by bigbrotiki on Wed, May 23, 2012 11:26 PM

Indeed, one of the all time great TC threads, it should be pulled up here on a regular basis for all newbies to see. The step to apartment architecture (and Motel and bowling alley) was THE crucial point when Tiki became a design genre in its own right, not just restaurant and bar decor.

And yes, an A-frame does not necessarily denote a Tiki establishment, it was a mid-century modern design phenomenon that simply fit in beautifully with Polynesian pop - as it also mirrored the jet age design of the 50s and early 60s:

There even is a book out on A-frames...

http://www.amazon.com/A-frame-Chad-Randl/dp/1568984103/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1337840333&sr=1-1

...in which the author actually completely fails to show the for us most compelling aspect of the A-frame trend, the Tiki temple!
(which proves how much non-Tiki A-frame architecture was around then)

A good rule of thumb for if an apartment is Tiki style would be the existence of Tikis around it :)

...but unfortunately, at this point in time, there are very few of those left. Rock walls were in general use in the 50s and 60s, you would have to look for LAVA rock walls to be sure...

Outrigger beams are a good sign...

...but no guarantee - and often sawed off nowadays.
Waterfalls were used in some non-Tiki places, but were more extensively used in Tiki architecture...

....so they are a good clue.
The best sign are Hawaiian/Polynesian names on the apartment front, or anything with "Island" or "Isle":

Yet they are no guarantee that any of the baroque-primitive splendor of the original design is left :cry:

One more tip: I used to scan the cityscape for extra-tall palm trees...

...since these places were landscaped in the early 60s, by now the palms are taller than any 70s/80s stucco box trees.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2012-05-24 00:14 ]