Chrysler Building cafe by Deidra Hodgson riffs on art deco location

A glossy wood ceiling and a large circular light preside over this cafe that UK interior designer Deidra Hodgson has completed inside the Chrysler Building in New York.

The art deco icon in Midtown Manhattan provides the setting for the second US location of UK coffee group WatchHouse, following a flagship at 660 Fifth Avenue that opened spring 2024.

The new outpost occupies a street-facing retail unit along East 43rd Street, and is designed by Hodgson to echo the grandeur and glamour of the skyscraper's 1930s style.

A dark, high-gloss timber ceiling was chosen to reference the wall panels of the building's original lobby and to draw the eyes of visitors up upon entry.

Over the service area, a circular lightbox with a nine-foot (2.7-metre) diameter is recessed into the ceiling to create "a moment of stillness and light amid the bustle of Midtown".

A curved steel bar that echoes the Chrysler's famous contours wraps around the espresso station, and the same material forms window seating and tables.

Further banquette seats and cafe tables are positioned along the edge of the cafe, providing ample room for customers to order and wait for their drinks.

"We always begin by thinking about how guests will move, sit, and feel in the space," said Hodgson. "Our goal is to create moments of beauty and comfort from every vantage point – spaces where form meets function."

Richly veined red-and-sienna-hued travertine flooring runs throughout, complementing the dark wood accents and caramel-toned leather seating upholstery.

In lieu of a menu board, the items and pricing are projected directly onto the surface of a central column.

The back of the space faces into the building's marble-lined lobby through a window framed with geometric metal panels.

Here, the original triangular motifs are repeated as a relief pattern from which shelves extend to display coffee products.

"Opening a House inside the Chrysler Building is one of those dream scenarios – an opportunity to honor a legendary address while continuing to share our Modern Coffee ethos," said WatchHouse founder and CEO, Roland Horne.

"There's something about the scale and grandeur of the Chrysler Building, paired with the softness of how we've designed the interior, that should stop you just for a moment."

The Chrysler Building was designed by architect William Van Alen and completed in 1930 – its full history was documented as part of Dezeen's Art Deco Centenary series earlier this year.

The photography is by Brian W Ferry, unless stated otherwise.

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