Chrysler Building Annex

The Wall
The granite wall concentrates the functions traditionally resolved through the simple repetition of standard floors (offices and light industry). Oriented toward the East River, it functions as an ordinary building, blending in with its neighbors while preserving the iconic presence of the Chrysler’s crown and its role as an urban landmark. At the level of the theaters, cinema, and main hall, the wall opens up, signaling the change in program (where offices give way to foyers). The wall’s vertical circulation brings visitors to the central nodes of each function (from which independent circulations depart), as well as to the office levels.

The Multifunctional Structure
The complexity of the program in the multifunctional portion—built mainly of steel and glass—is revealed between the two granite masses: the wall and the Chrysler itself. Suspended 40 meters above the ground, the multiple functions are organized as a verticalization of the horizontal urban fabric. Structured around central public activity nodes accessed by the wall’s vertical circulation, each function has its own independent vertical core, as well as connections to the Chrysler. The large beams that hold the volumes define these centers (nodes) and connections, from which the uses transition from more public to more private as one moves upward. The overall vertical zoning also follows this stacking logic: subway access/commercial spaces (sunken plaza), cultural/entertainment area (cinema, theater, concert hall), institutional area (school), and housing (hotel).

The Plaza
If the most important part of the Chrysler Building is its top and its relationship with the skyline, the most significant part of its complement is the base and its connection to 42nd Street. The building lifted off the ground creates a meaningful void in a densely built area. The freed space forms a monumental plaza that brings both the Chrysler and its extension into the public realm, activating the interior of the block. The sunken plaza, surrounded by commercial spaces, connects directly to the existing underground gallery beneath the Chrysler (which provides access to the subway) and to the main access hall of the extension.