The Art Deco Chrysler Building was designed by William Van Alen and is a reflection of the romantic era of the New York City skyscraper. Walter P. Chrysler commissioned the construction of the building for Chrysler Corporation, which began in 1928 and was completed in 1930. According to Stranges (2014), The Art Deco Chrysler Building was commissioned to stand out in world commerce and industry. The building represented Walter Chrysler and the power of his corporation as it impeccably stood on the New York skyline and was the tallest building once it was completed in 1930. The Chrysler Building embodies the period it was built – a time of industrial power, immense wealth and the growth and development of city buildings.
The Art Deco Chrysler reflects how architecture is perceived as a symbol of civilization. The development of the Chrysler Building began at a building project in the office of William H. Reynolds. Reynolds was a former New York Senator, promoter and real-estate developer. In 1921, he purchased a long-term lease from Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art who owned a piece of property in Lexington Avenue and 42 nd Street. Consequently, in 1927 the building was designed by William Van Alen, and was meant to embrace the emerging ideas in skyscraper design; thus, the building was estimated to be 67 stories high rising 808 feet (Bayer, 1999). The projected building would be elevated by a glass dome, which when lit from within would create the illusion of a sphere with abundant jewels. However, in 1928 Walter P. Chrysler took over the development of the office building project and lease.
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The ART Deco Chrysler Building was envisioned to be a tall, glamorous and unique art of architecture. Both Chrysler and Van Alen wanted to make the building a prominent architectural design that would make a visible mark in the city. Chrysler wanted the building to be “dedicated as a sound contribution to business progress” (Stravitz, 2002). He envisioned the building to be a personal symbol and progressive architectural image. Therefore, Van Alen committed himself to bringing the image to life using various elements of modernism as he had understood them. As a result, he designed a building that has been recognized for its remarkable features and is one of the outstanding landmarks of Art Deco architecture.
The term, Art Deco rose from the American Art Deco style that began as a result of the European influence, which was discovered during the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris in 1925. European and American architects revised the conventional design forms by incorporating industrial materials creatively to form the modern age in architecture (Stranges, 2014). The Art Deco Style was evident in the skyscraper design compared to other building styles as it exemplified the emergence of a new age in architecture, which was characterized by progressive and innovative ideas. The Art Deco style corresponded with the architectural boom that was experienced in New York City during the 1920s (Breeze, 2002). The numerous skyscrapers that were designed using the Art Deco style in New York curated the architectural appearance of a romantic image that were mainly depicted in theater and films that continued until the next building design trend during the early 1960s. Van Alen embodied the Art Deco style in the Chrysler Building by incorporating various materials, methods and design approaches.
The Art Deco Chrysler Building is designed in accordance with the zoning ordinance regulations that were implemented in 1916 in New York. The building is a freestanding tower with 77 stories; occupies half a block, and a setback, which makes it visible from all four angles. Gerard (1975) affirms that Van Alen was inspired to design steel structures using the Art Deco style in order to ensure that he did not imitate masonry construction. Furthermore, the unlike most of the traditional designs of skyscrapers, the architectural design of the Chrysler building did not imitate the principle of a column with ornamental foundation and capital, and bare shaft. On the contrary, the design was expected to be interesting throughout its height as well as the delegated setbacks, which guided Van Alen in making the design choice.
The two entrances of the building located on Lexington Avenue and 42 nd Street are the most outstanding features of the first four stories. Each of the entrances is covered by Shastone granite and their height is that of three stories that imitates the proscenium style. The setbacks within the insides of the entrances consist of various sets of rotating doors that are underneath intricately decorated metal and glass screens. River (2015) asserts that this architectural design was used to enhance the dramatic effect when entering the building, which is a primary focus in Art Deco design. A one-story entrance is located at the 43 rd Street, which consists of large window shops that are engraved in metal; windows for the offices are located on the consecutive stories up to the fourth story; ornamental spandrels can be seen at the windows on the second story. The “Nirosta” steel, rust-free chromium nickel steel that was manufactured in the US especially for the Art Deco Chrysler Building was used to make the frames on the entries and windows (River, 2015). The nickel steel was developed using the German procedure from Krupp was a new material in architectural design that is alignment with the Art Deco methodologies.
The building penetrates through the east and west location through the light courts that extend towards the tower whereas the structure gradually elevates in a series of setbacks on the north and south sides. Additionally, white bricks that are made of contrasting marble strips are used to form a weave pattern on the design of the walls of the first setback on the sixteenth story. This methodology of combining various colors and textures is an Art Deco style. Consequently, the building possesses a unique feature whereby all windows lack reveals and the frames are set even with the walls. Stravitz (2002) affirms that this was perceived as a way of demonstrating modernity and progress in architecture. There are also vertical accents that consist of piers of white brick and overlapping vertical window strips, which emerge at the next setbacks that end at the twenty-fourth floor. The vertical effect that reveals itself at this stage is accentuated by the aluminum spandrels that appear between the windows (Stravitz, 2002). On the twentieth, twenty-first and twenty-second floors have spandrels that are decorated with relief ornaments. The Nirosta steel is used to engrave the twenty-fourth floor with conventionalized pineapples that were forged on the site. The third setbacks from the twenty-fifth all the way to the twenty-seventh stories there are horizontal banding and zigzag motifs and black bricks which contrast with the vertical designs of the setback below.
The tower shaft from the lower masses is introduced on the fourth setback on the thirty-first story. The corners on this story are stretched outward and topped by the enormous ornamental Chrysler radiator tops made of Nirosta steel that is 15 feet high. According to Berenholtz (2009), this extension was viable to eliminate the optical effect that would have made the tower seem wider at the top compared to its base. In addition to this, the thirty-first floor has a gray and white brick frieze that is designed using steel hub caps that create an illusion of racing automobiles. All these decorative features are explicit symbols of the Chrysler Corporation and expose the distinct influence of Art Deco architects such as Van Alen.
The Art Deco Chrysler Building is considered as an expression of modernism in architectural age with immense activity and vibrant style of the modern business class. The building demonstrates Walter P. Chrysler desire to create an attractive office building at the time; thus, the Chrysler Building is dedicated to the industrial and commercial world. Bascomb (2004) affirms that the building was designed with the aim of satisfying the demands of business executives who with their vibrant and intense lifestyles have mesmerizing office environments. The offices bring in abundant light and air as there are exceptional proportions and in-depth heights. Furthermore, the building emphasize the need for accessibility within the city, which illustrates the desire for convenience among business people.
Conclusion
The unique architectural elements of the Chrysler Building make it a symbol of modernism within the New York metropolis. The building’s contribution to the skyline of the city shows that the Van Alen fully embodied the Art Deco style and brought it to life. Thus, through the different features of Art Deco that are incorporated in the building, the architect was able to reveal the new style of modernism in architecture.
References
Bascomb, N. (2004). Higher: A Historic Race to the Sky and the Making of a City. Broadway Books
Bayer, P(1999). Art Deco Architecture: Design, Decoration, and Detail from the Twenties and Thirties. Thames & Hudson; Revised ed
Berenholtz, B. (2009). New York Deco Hardcover. Welcome Books
Breeze, C. (2003). American Art Deco: Architecture and Regionalism . W. W. Norton & Company
Gerard, W. R. (1975). New York, A Guide to the Metropolis: Walking Tours of Architecture and History . New York: New York university Press
River, C. (2015). The Chrysler Building: The History of One of New York City’s Most Famous Landmarks. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Stranges, J. (2014). Mr. Chrysler's Building: Merging Design and Technology in the Machine Age. Icon, 20 (2), 1-19. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/43488017
Stravitz, D. (2002). The Chrysler Building: Creating a New York Icon Day by Day . Princeton Architectural Press
