Flanking Lexington Avenue on the south side of 42nd Street are two more buildings that repay consideration. The Chanin Building on the west side is another Art Deco monument, cut with terra-cotta carvings of leaves, tendrils and sea creatures. More interestingly, the design on the outside of the weighty Mobil Building across the street is deliberately folded in such a manner that it can be cleaned automatically by the movement of the wind.

East of here is the somber yet elegant former Daily News Building , whose stone facade fronts a surprising Deco interior. The most impressive remnant of the original 1923 decor is a large globe encased in a lighted circular frame (with updated geography), made famous by the film Superman , in which the Daily News Building housed the Daily Planet .

Further east still, 42nd Street grows more tranquil. Between Second and First avenues, the Ford Foundation Building provides one of the most peaceful spaces of all. Built in 1967, this was the first of the atriums that are now commonplace across Manhattan, and it is certainly the most lush. It's a giant greenhouse, with two walls of offices visible through the windows. 42nd Street is no more than a murmur outside.

At the east end of 42nd Street, steps lead up to the 1925 ensemble of Tudor City , which rises behind a tree-filled parklet. With its coats of arms, leaded glass and neat neighborhood shops, it is the very picture of self-contained residential respectability, and an official historic district. Trip down the steps from here and you're plum opposite the United Nations .

East of the Chrysler Building

• East of the Chrysler Building

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