![]() ![]() New York’s 1916 zoning resolution had an influence that cannot be understated, and for 50 years it helped shape the dimensions of these giant buildings in New York and in other American cities. It needs saying that the time and place of these skyscrapers deeply influenced their design. For buildings, a major new material was Nirosta, a nickel-chrome-steel alloy that permitted metal to be used on the exterior of skyscrapers, especially on the famed tower and spire of the Chrysler Building.Īn artist’s depiction of an eagle gargoyle on the Chrysler Building, modeled on a Chrysler car hood ornament, along with a famous photo of the photographer Margaret Bourke White atop it. The Beaux Arts style that didn’t appeal to Art Deco architectsĪrt Deco employed new design materials, from chrome and plate glass to Bakelite and luxurious finishes like exotic woods and lacquered surfaces. It succeeded the ornate, curvy, and detailed “Art Noveau” style and the “Beaux Arts” style influenced by Greek and Roman elements (an architectural example of the latter style is the 1911 New York Public Library at 42 nd Street and Fifth Avenue.) Linen multi-view dated 1936 by the Curt Teich CompanyĪrt Deco takes its name from the 1925 Parisian Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratif et Industriels Modernes, where pieces which came to be known as the “Art Deco” style were introduced. Quite a few of these skyscrapers were built in the then popular streamlined Art Deco style, and numerous old postcards illustrate them. New York City in the 1920s and 1930s experienced massive growth marked by the construction of soaring and majestic slender skyscrapers, the like of which the world had not seen before. I think this would make a great set which would appeal to fans of the Architecture range, fans of the building and anyone looking for a souvenir of New York City.Kyle Jolliffe New York City Skyscrapers The Art Deco Era There were several challenges in making all the various rectangular exterior blocks join together seemlessly and the observation deck proved quite difficult to to create the small steps and still have studs on the sides to hold all the exterior cladding in place. I have always felt that the Empire State Building deserved a larger scale model, but it was making the New York City set and seeing the strong vertical lines that the radiator grille pieces created in it that really got the project rolling. (but this did make the building taller than the Chrysler building). (King Kong minifigure being buzzed by biplanes is just for fun.)Įmpire State Building Fact: The 200 foot mast was added during the build as a mooring post to allow airships to dock in the city - although none ever did. Of the 1040 pieces 464 are the small 1x2 radiator grilles which make up the vertical line features on the exterior of the building.Įmpire State Building Fact: The Empire State Building was the tallest building in New York City for 40 consecutive years, from 1931 until 1972.Īs it can sometimes be difficult to judge the overall size of a model I have included a image of my Empire State Building next to the latest LEGO version - from the New York City set (21028) and the Eiffel Tower (21019). ![]() This model is significantly larger than the previous versions offered in the Architecture range, but not so big that it could not be an official set. The model is made from 1040 LEGO pieces and stands 46 cm tall. Number of Stories in Empire State Building: 102.Empire State Building Height: 1,250 ft.Lamb from the architectural firm Shreve, Lamb and Harmon, the art deco styling of the Empire State Building is as an icon of New York City. ![]()
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