Motels, modernism, and the American summer vacation in Wildwood, New Jersey

This thesis will examine a number of assertions that support and clarify the contention that Wildwood motel architecture was a dynamic manifestation of the change in post-war leisure practices. Who was this new audience, and how and why was it different from earlier vacationers? How was this audience's taste for resort and vacation landscapes formed, and why were these particular architectural forms chosen? What was it that attracted this audience to Wildwood, and what was the role of architecture and design in creating that attraction? How did the town and the region respond to this changing audience and the subsequent change in architectural forms? Lastly, how were the conflicts, compromises, and changes in new leisure preferences visible in the built landscape?