The Unbearable Banishment: random NYC pic—Chrysler R.I.P. part II

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

random NYC pic—Chrysler R.I.P. part II

Since Chrysler is back in the news with the announcement that 25% of their dealerships are about to close, I thought I’d do a follow-up post on the Chrysler Building, so you can gauge how precipitous their fall has been.

Once again, I wanted to stay away from pics of the spire that you're already familiar with, so I took a few lobby shots. Are you ready for some beautiful examples of 1930s-era design? Click on each for a detailed study.

Here’s the signage above the revolving doors that lead out to 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Like the outdoor Lexington Avenue entrance shot I posted last week, these have needle-sharp flourishes. They’re polished silver steel and look both elegant and industrial.



The elevator doors have beautiful inlaid wood. The interiors are equally ornate but I couldn’t get past the security guard to get a shot. Before 9/11 you were free to stroll in an out of any building to study the design but now, everything is on lockdown. It’s a shame. The terrorists fucked up my shit.

Here’s a mural that stretches across the lobby ceiling. The depiction is of a slightly elongated, thinned-out Chrysler building painted to match the inlaid wood of the elevators. Studying it gives you a stiff neck but it’s worth it.

This is the lobby. I'm not crazy about how this shot turned out—the lighting is all wrong—but I thought I'd post it anyway.

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7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

thank you - the inlaid wood on the elevator doors and ceiling? breathtaking!

May 20, 2009 at 10:54 AM  
Blogger The Unbearable Banishment said...

Daisy: Actually, the ceiling is just painted to look like inlaid wood.

May 20, 2009 at 11:20 AM  
Blogger Ellie said...

Wheeeewwwwhew. Gorgeous. My M in law used to work in that building. She never talked about how cool it was!

May 20, 2009 at 5:33 PM  
Anonymous Rob said...

People continue living their lives at evermore breakneck pace.

Do you think that many truly recognize and appreciate that they are living through the end of an era?

Yeah, I doubt it too.

Great pics!

May 20, 2009 at 8:40 PM  
Blogger Sid said...

The doors are amazing.

May 21, 2009 at 5:04 AM  
Blogger ~E said...

WOW! I love that last picture of the lobby? It's like you're standing in the sun.

May 26, 2009 at 9:45 PM  
Blogger Pueblo girl said...

I want to live in a house like this!!! (Art appreciation for me always seems to include an unhealthy dose of "I want it!")

November 2, 2009 at 10:45 AM  

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