Architectural Favorites
#9 - The Chrysler Building
What are your favorite buildings in the United States? The American Institute of Architects has compiled a pictorial survey of their 150 favorites. Our choices are likely to be based on memories of public buildings. Whereas award-winning houses may not be accessible, except in photographs. A few unique residences have been donated to institutions for tours, such as Frank Lloyd Wright’s Kauffman House, known as “Falling Water” (number 29). Many of our favorites are likely to be buildings to which we have a personal and/or historical connection. Several in the top ten are civic monuments in Washington D.C. such as the White House (number 2).
I think of skyscrapers as being unique American icons. Even before living and working in the man-made canyons of Manhattan, I had been impressed by these steel monuments. For example, the Art Deco details in stainless steel on the Chrysler Building (number 9) are quite spectacular. The Empire State Building (number 1) was the tallest for decades; but the Chrysler Building enjoyed that distinction first.
Go to FavoriteArchitecture.org. Check your personal list of favorites against theirs.
-TJC