Comparing The Chrysler Building And The Seagram Building

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This essay will be comparing and contrasting two skyscrapers based in New York, The Chrysler Building and The Seagram Building. Both buildings are examples of specific architectural styles with unique histories. The Chrysler Building is an example of Art Deco, while the Seagram building is an example International Style Building. The Chrysler building finished construction in the early 1930s and at the time was the tallest building in the world. The building was made with steel frame, metal cladding and masonry. Chrysler cars inspired the building at the time with metal eagle gargoyles and the metal details in the crown of the building. The Chrysler building is a leading example of Art Deco architectural style. It has a vertical emphasis with geometric shapes, mainly on the crown of the building with the eagle gargoyles and arches with rounded edges starting on the 61st floor. The crown of the building was very decorative that focused more on shape rather than number of floors to the building. The Seagram building finished construction in 1958 and was the first major building that was an example of architectural International Style. The building was made with a steel frame and …show more content…

The Chrysler building was more focused on decorative and stylized elements of the building. They were trying to represent Chrysler cars and while also trying to win the race to be the tallest building in New York (of its time), during that race they still focused on stylized elements of the building instead of getting wrapped up with the number of floors. The Seagram building on the other hand had a more basic design with steel frame and glass, and was more focused on functionality than decorative details on the building. The most decorative part of the Seagram building is on the bottom levels with the lobby and reflective pools while the Chrysler building left its more decorative elements for the top of the

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