American Radiator Building

Completed in 1924, the American Radiator Building was designed by Raymond Hood and J. André Fouilhoux as a striking fusion of Gothic Revival and Art Deco styles. Its dramatic black brick façade (symbolic of coal) is contrasted with gold-bronze terracotta accents (symbolizing fire), evoking the radiators the company produced. The building’s setbacks and silhouette were inspired by Eliel Saarinen’s Tribune Tower design, creating a bold and distinctive presence in Midtown Manhattan .

In 2001, the structure underwent a sensitive conversion to the Bryant Park Hotel, preserving its landmarked façade while transforming the interior into a 128-room luxury boutique hotel. Public access continues through the impressive lobby and ground-level areas, where original Gothic and Art Deco features—like marble entries, ornate carvings, and moody nighttime illumination—evoke the building’s industrial grandeur .

Interesting Facts

• Featured in Georgia O’Keeffe’s painting Radiator Building – Night, New York (1927) 

• Named a NYC Landmark in 1974 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 

• It was one of the first skyscrapers to experiment with architectural lighting—its amber floodlights made it glow like “ember coal” at night 

• Originally built for the American Radiator Company, later known as the American Standard Building