When I lived in NYC, I was regularly amazed at the level of detail buildings built 1890-1940 had and how completely disposable most modern architecture seemed r

When I lived in NYC, I was regularly amazed at the level of detail buildings built 1890-1940 had and how completely disposable most modern architecture seemed relatively. On the West Coast, very few buildings have any of this sense of gravity and permanence, with a few major works being exceptions (the library in Seattle; the library in Vancouver, BC; and even some very modern but more elaborate designs (e.g. by Frank Gehry) come to mind). I can't imagine the cost of building something like the Chrysler Building today compared to One Vanderbilt, Hudson Yards, or so many other big buildings in the US- even if their shape has a nod to Deco. Mostly they seem to reflect the idea that a lot of glass makes up for their general lack of distinction.