Among New York's most treasured and recognizable skyscrapers are the Art DecoĮmpire State and Chrysler buildings. After falling out of favor and suffering from neglect during the city's downturn in the latter half of the 20th century, the city's Art Deco has been reappraised. The lull in construction during World War II and rise of the International Style led to the end of new Art Deco in the city. The Depression and changing tastes pushed the style to more subdued applications as it spread in the 1930s, becoming a style of choice for infrastructure projects and modern middle-class apartments in the outer boroughs. Colorful, lavishly-decorated skyscrapers came to dominate the skyline of Manhattan before the Great Depression ended their construction. The size and sophistication of Art Deco ranged from towering skyscrapers to modest middle-class housing and municipal buildings. The exuberant economy of the Roaring Twenties and commercial speculation spurred a citywide building boom.

The architecture of the period was influenced by worldwide decorative arts trends, the rise of mechanization, and New York City's 1916 Zoning Resolution, which favored the setback feature in many buildings. Art Deco is found in government edifices, commercial projects, and residential buildings in all five boroughs. The style broke with traditional architectural conventions and was characterized by verticality, ornamentation, and building materials such as plastics, metals, and terra cotta. Clockwise from top left: The spire of the Chrysler Building, Manhattan Upper levels of the Park Plaza Apartments, the Bronx entrance of Madison Gardens apartments, Brooklyn and the Marine Air Terminal interior, QueensĪrt Deco architecture flourished in New York City during the 1920s and 1930s.

1940 new york skyscraper