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From 1954, “Sunnyside Yards” probably requires some explanation for people unfamiliar with western Queens. The yard (foreground) was built with Penn Station in the aughts because there was simply not enough room near the station, in Manhattan, for a proper yard. So, except for a tiny storage yard west of the station, train storage and […]
a year ago

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From Scientific American, December 8, 1894, an interesting view of two buildings: drawings that include both the above-ground portion of the buildings, more or less as you would see them, and the foundations as they could never be seen. The foundations are seen as if the earth had been turned transparent. The image of the […]

7 months ago 68 votes
Happy Christmas

I’m not so sure about that vest.

7 months ago 63 votes
Genteel

That’s the Hotel Marlborough at 36th Street and Broadway, shortly after 1900. The hotel opened in 1888 when the entertainment district on Broadway was further south; by the time it was demolished in 1922, that district had moved to Times Square, a few blocks to the north. It’s a story repeated for hundreds of buildings […]

7 months ago 66 votes
Once Again, In Plastic

The restoration of Notre Dame deserves all the praise that has been heaped upon it, but have I mentioned recently that my son and I have built the LEGO Notre Dame? We finished our small Notre Dame about a week after the official opening of the large one, but they had a head start on […]

7 months ago 59 votes
It Looked Familiar: Archetypical

From a graphic novel about art called Naked City: how do you capture the spirit of New York? A relentless grid and Old-Law tenements.

7 months ago 67 votes

More in architecture

Tales of an Urban Critic: A Search for the Soul of Cities and Self

Sam Kaplan Hall recounts his wide-ranging life in a new memoir that contains more than a few great personal stories.

22 hours ago 2 votes
Group Technology, the Forgotten Cousin of Lean Manufacturing

Industrial improvement systems — strategies for making a business more profitable, more efficient, or better operated — rise and fall in popularity over time.

21 hours ago 2 votes
Archinect City Guide: Unlock Manhattan with Julia Gamolina of Madame Architect

Manhattan: So much to do, so little time! To make New York City's most densely populated borough more accessible for out-of-towners and residents alike, we've asked Julia Gamolina to host today's Archinect City Guide. Beyond her role as the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the award-winning Madame Architect platform, she is also an Associate Principal at Ennead Architects' NYC studio and a Visiting Assistant Professor at Pratt Institute. In this City Guide, Gamolina reveals her favorite Manhattan spots for Eastern European treats, tasty cocktails, and the best parks for picnics and walks.  Are you a Manhattan local with your own go-to spots? Or have a city you think we should cover next? Share your thoughts, suggestions, and favorite places in the comments.

2 days ago 6 votes
New York City—the Metropolis Built on Water

A talk with photographer Stanley Greenberg about his new book documenting the vast infrastructure of the city’s water system.

3 days ago 5 votes
Mineral Hurricane

I recently had the pleasure of attending a press preview of the new documentary Architecton, directed by Victor Kossakovsky and released last week by A24. The screening I attended was held inside a Cedars-Sinai medical imaging center in west Los Angeles; seeing this particular film, with its intensely granular focus on the geological underpinnings of … Continue reading "Mineral Hurricane"

4 days ago 8 votes