New York City’s Chrysler Building is known for its stepped Art Deco crown and Chrysler ornamentation.
Completed in 1930, the building was developed for automobile executive Walter Chrysler and designed by architect William Van Alen. Its stainless-steel crown, called the Chrysler Building’s spire, uses repeated triangular sunburst patterns that produce its distinctive brilliance.
Automotive details appear throughout the design, including radiator-cap motifs, winged ornaments, and stylized wheels. The tower briefly held the title of world’s tallest building before the Empire State Building surpassed it in 1931.
A common mix-up is assuming the Chrysler Building was named for its architect. It was named for Walter Chrysler, whose company occupied office space there. The building remains one of Manhattan’s defining Art Deco landmarks.