Had it not been for Walter P. Chrysler's determination to build the world's tallest skyscraper, the familiar stainless steel spire of New York City's Chrysler Building might never have been. The original building was supposed to be 925 feet tall, but when the Bank of Manhattan announced that its skyscraper going up at 40 Wall Street would be two feet higher, Chrysler ordered his architect, William van Alen, to "think up something."

Van Alen (whose estranged former partner was the architect for 40 Wall Street) secretly began assembling a 185-foot spire inside the half-completed building. A week after the Bank "topped out," van Alen hoisted a 27-ton steeple through the roof opening and anchored it into place in just 90 minutes. At 1,046 feet tall, the Chrysler Building instantly became the world's tallest skyscraper—a title it lost a year later to the 1,253-foot Empire State Building.

Now 75 years old, the Chrysler Building remains a sublime example of Art Deco opulence and style. Its extensive use of Nirosta metal (a mixture of chrome, nickel and steel) reflects the glories of the Machine Age, and its decorative elements give a pioneering nod to corporate branding. The sunburst spire echoes the hubcap design then being used on Chrysler cars, and the gargoyles extending from the 61st floor replicate the eagle hood ornament of the 1929 Plymouth, with the ones off the 31st floor resembling giant radiator caps. Although some critics panned the architecture as "stunt design" in 1930, today the Chrysler Building is a beloved icon of Manhattan's skyline.