The Cloud Club
These were a few of the proposals for the Chrysler Building by architect William Van Alen... Apparently the Chrysler board liked the 2nd proposal, but Chrysler himself didn't think it was modern enough, and pushed the architect to do better eventually leading to the final design. The final decision was made by two men: Chrysler the client and Van Alen the architect with no committees or boards to dull the boldness of the design. Architectural critics of the day hated it by the way which tells you a little something about architectural critics.
Every time I see the Chrysler building from afar I literally hear music in my head... sort of an low chord under an angelic "ahhhhhhh....". This happened the first time I saw the building in person at the age of 4 and it happens today. I hope it never goes away.
related: salon on the building's history, Metropolis of Tomorrow, dentist in the Chrysler Building.
5 Comments:
i had a similar feeling just this morning, walking down 42nd, when its profile slid into view all silvery and backlit by the pink morning sky. it's just an i heart ny moment whenever it see it.
I had a cousin who worked in a building on 53 and Lexington and had an office on the 49th floor. When I was in high school I visited my cousin in his office on a foggy February evening. The top of the fog was a floor or two down from my cousin's office and it looked like the city had been covered up in a snowy comforter. Down the street rising out of the fog like a vision was the top of the Chrysler building. It's windows were lighting up the blanket of fog below. It was at that moment that I knew I was going to move to New York. That moment changed my life. Now I live near NYU and I often see the Chrysler catching the sun while looking up broadway. I know exactly what you mean when you say you hear music. I think I hear it too.
Raul -- is one of the four images you posted the final design as we see it today? I'm guessing #4, but...
Anyway, it's funny, but the last two look rather bottom heavy compared to the original two designs. So though I love the Chrysler Building more than life itself, I may have to agree that the original designers had some basis for objecting to the changes...
Joe, yes, it's #4.
my dad used to work here.
happy new year to you and your family
and i hope the next few weeks and months go well
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