Chrysler Building Architecture: A History of the Chrysler Building

The Chrysler Building is an office building at 405 Lexington Avenue between 42nd and 43rd Street in Midtown Manhattan. It was completed in 1930. American industrialist Walter P. Chrysler financed the construction, and architect William Van Alen, the architect of the Albemarle building on Broadway, designed the glamorous exterior. Van Alen’s design features a terraced crown, geometric patterns, and interior art displays.

Construction of the Chrysler Building began in September 1928 and was completed in 1930. The $20-million project was the tallest structure in the world for a short period after its completion. The building has a storied history:

• The Cooper Union: The Chrysler Building was built on land owned by the Cooper Union, a private college, and income generated by the building subsidizes the education of Cooper Union students. (In 1997, then-owners Tishman Speyer Properties and the Travelers Insurance Group negotiated a 150-year lease with the university.)
• Contractors: Originally, contractor William H. Reynolds planned to build the skyscraper with William Van Alen; however, Reynolds dropped out due to expenses. Reynolds sold the building designs to Water P. Chrysler, who wanted to build the tallest building in the world.
• Race for the sky: Beginning in 1929 in New York City, real estate developers across Manhattan tried to construct the tallest building first, a competition that became known as the “race for the sky.” During the construction of the Chrysler Building, the stainless steel spire was kept hidden inside the building. Both Van Alen and Chrysler wanted to keep the building’s expected height a secret from competitors. Van Alen’s former partner, H. Craig Severance, was working on 40 Wall Street simultaneously.
• Chrysler automobiles: Many of the stylistic choices for the building were inspired by Chrysler automobiles. Chrysler owned Chrysler Corporation, one of the largest automobile manufacturing companies in the US. Gargoyles and eagles on the facade mimic the hood ornaments of Chrysler automobiles.
• Spire: On October 23, 1929, the spire was added to the top of the building’s crown, making the Chrysler Building the tallest building in the world, surpassing the Woolworth Building, Eiffel Tower, and 40 Wall Street. With 77 stories, the completed building stands at the height of 1,046 feet.
• Legacy: For the first 11 months of its construction, the Chrysler Building was the world’s tallest building. In 1976, the building became a National Historic Landmark.

Walter P. Chrysler aimed to create a high-end building to fit the location and showcase prestige to his competitors, General Motors and Ford Motor Company. Grand Central Terminal, one block from the Chrysler Building, was one of the first glamorous buildings on 42nd Street, setting the upscale style of the area before construction of the Chrysler Building began.

As an Art Deco skyscraper, the Chrysler Building is distinct, with intricate geometric patterns and hard edges. Another striking feature of the building’s style is the theme of the sun, particularly the sunburst pattern on the crown of the building.

The skyscraper, built mainly of steel and brick, features approximately three million bricks manually laid out for the building’s walls with 391,881 fastening rivets. The Chrysler Building has numerous other characteristics that set it apart from the different structures that line the NYC skyline:

1. 1. Lobby: The lobby of the Art Deco building reflects its elaborate exterior. The triangular lobby features African red granite, amber onyx, red marble, and a ceiling mural titled Transport and Human Endeavor by artist Edward Trumbull.
2. 2. Observation deck: Originally, the skyscraper also had an observation deck, known as Celestial, on the 71st floor. The deck spanned 3,900 square feet and was decorated with planets and rockets. However, after the Empire State Building was constructed and offered a higher observatory, Celestial declined in popularity and closed in 1945.
3. 3. Cloud Club: The 66th, 67th, and 68th floors of the Chrysler Building were home to an exclusive, members-only lunch club called the Cloud Club. The elite restaurant with private dining rooms closed in 1979.
4. 4. Crown: One of the most distinguishing architectural aspects of the Chrysler Building is the skyscraper’s crown. With seven consecutive arches on each side, the arches form a tip at the top of the building. Each arch has triangular windows that light up at night, creating a lighted path to the 186-foot spire made of Nirosta steel that rests atop the building.
5. 5. Ornaments: The Chrysler Building was built to showcase and market Chrysler automobiles, so many of the building’s structures reflect the parts of a car. Some of the ornamentations that decorate the building’s corners are friezes of Chrysler hood ornaments and hubcaps. The 31st and 61st floors feature God Mercury and eagle gargoyles reminiscent of Chrysler radiator caps that represent the flight of the machine age.
6. 6. Geometric design: Many of the interior and exterior features of the building follow a geometric pattern. For example, the crown of the building comprises consecutive rows of triangular windows cascading upward.
7. 7. Lighting: The original design featured lights in the crown of the building. Today, additional lights illuminate the top of the structure. These lights change according to the season and holiday.

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