# MANHATTAN ARCHITECTURE - Help!



## aljuarez (Mar 16, 2005)

Until quite recently, New York was probably the only city worth hopping on an intercontinental flight just to see its skyscrapers. Personally, I like the older ones better. Even if they often featured pastiches of European styles and decorative neoclassical, neo-gothic, neo-romanic and other purely decorative detailing, these buildings have aged very gracefully, something which sadly can’t be said about much of what was built in the last few decades. 

Here’s my personal take on New York architecture, mostly “historical” or “listed” buildings. If you know any names, please use the numbers in the pics to help me name the buildings or correct any mislabeled ones! I want to get the names right in my Flickr! :lol:

1. 20 Exchange Place and American International Building


2. ITT Building


3.??


4. Bankers Trust


5.??


6. ITT Building


7. Harriman Building


8. 20 Exchange Place looming in the back. In the foreground….??


9. The spire of Trinity Church and… what’s the green copper-topped building farther back?


10. Trinity Church, ??? and the Woolworth Building 


11. Chase Manhattan Plaza with French artist Jean Dubuffet’s Arbres (Trees)


12. The Pine on Wall Street

13. ????


14. 20 Exchange Place


15. American International Building


16. Harriman Building


17. American International building in the background… and in the foreground??


18.??


19. Broad Exchange


20. ??


21. ??


22. The Crest


23.??


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## Ni3lS (Jun 29, 2007)

You mostly took pictures of Art deco style buildings. The thing with art deco is that you either love it or hate it. Nice pics.


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## tpe (Aug 10, 2005)

aljuarez said:


> Until quite recently, New York was probably the only city worth hopping on an intercontinental flight just to see its skyscrapers. Personally, I like the older ones better. Even if they often featured pastiches of European styles and decorative neoclassical, neo-gothic, neo-romanic and other purely decorative detailing, these buildings have aged very gracefully, something which sadly can’t be said about much of what was built in the last few decades.


You forget of course Chicago, which is the OTHER place that people have been visiting for its skyscrapers since the time of Oscar Wilde and the Comte de Montesquiou-Fézensac in the 19th century (by steamer and train, and not by plane!) And it is in Chicago where many of the older skyscrapers first took the style that was distinctly American, as opposed to "historical". 

You can still see a few remaining Chicago-style skyscrapers in Manhattan, and they are certainly a must-see for any architecture student. They are certainly NOT pastiches of older European styles. But they are just as gorgeous (if not as ornate).

You should note that the "historical" style you speak of was popular with 19th century Manhattan and Chicago skyscrapers because it was the prevailing style in most European cities at the time. Much of lowrise architecture in London, Paris, and the Continent at the end of the 19th century harkened back to neo-gothic, neo-byzantine, neo-palladian, neo-greek, neo-egyptian, neo-assyrian, and neo-roman styles. This was not only true in architecture, but can also be observed in the other Arts -- like in jewelry and "historical" Victorian painting, for example. 

The "historical" style in skyscraper architecture was an attempt to translate into American cities the trends prevalent in lowrise architecture in Europe.

And yes: lovely pix.


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## kingsway (Dec 15, 2009)

nice I love art deco.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Amazing, very nice photos from those art deco buildings in Manhattan, NYC


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## aljuarez (Mar 16, 2005)

tpe said:


> You forget of course Chicago, which is the OTHER place that people have been visiting for its skyscrapers since the time of Oscar Wilde and the Comte de Montesquiou-Fézensac in the 19th century (by steamer and train, and not by plane!) And it is in Chicago where many of the older skyscrapers first took the style that was distinctly American, as opposed to "historical".
> 
> You can still see a few remaining Chicago-style skyscrapers in Manhattan, and they are certainly a must-see for any architecture student. They are certainly NOT pastiches of older European styles. But they are just as gorgeous (if not as ornate).
> 
> ...


Thanks for the info! And you're right, I did forget about Chicago! :bash:

However, historicism and romanticism in Europe started in the at the turn of the 18th century while most of the buildings shown here are only from the 1920s and 1930s. By the turn of the 20th Century historicism was already regarded crass in cities like Paris, where rampant real estate speculation was widely decried by the cultural intelligentsia as unimaginative, ostentatious and vulgar. The speculation lead to massive projects built with new materials (including iron and steel) but using pastiche decorative elements (The XV and XVI _arrondissements_ of Paris and Vienna's _Bezirke_ just south the central ring road come to mind).

Going back to NYC, from a cultural history perspective, it is documented that in some cases the bankers and industrialists that had these beauties built were including European styles (at least in terms of embelishments) to endow themselves with the respectability that their own, less-than-aristocratic origins could afford them.


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## aljuarez (Mar 16, 2005)

Time for an update on this. Please help me identify the buildings whose names I haven't been able to come up with!

24. Bank of New York, 1932


25- Trinity Church Cemetery


26. ???


27. Realty Building, 1907


28. ??


29. ??


30. Liberty Tower, 1910


31. ???


32. American International Building, 1932


33. Municipal Building, 1914


34.??


35. Trinity Church, 1846


36. Municipal Building, 1914


37. Trinity Church, 1946


38. ??


39. ??


40. Emigrant Savings Bank, 1912


41. ???? I thought this was 14 Wall Street again (Banker’s Trust) but I´m pretty sure it’s not…


42.???


43. Which one in the shade? The old deco one is the Transportation Building of 1913, and then of course, the Woolworth Building of 1913


44. The Woolworth again…


45. Potter Building, 1886


46. Temple Court, 1883


47. Woolworth Building again!


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## aljuarez (Mar 16, 2005)

Time for an update on this. Please help me identify the buildings whose names I haven't been able to come up with!

Oops.. double post


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## Guest (Apr 8, 2011)

Another great thread - thanks for all of your efforts mate, I for one appreciate it immensely :cheers:


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## Andre_idol (Aug 6, 2008)

Honestly looking to this thread I wonder why I prefer the glassy ones over this fantastic facades!
Great set you have here! Thanks a lot for sharing


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

I just see red x:es. Hope they will show up, cause I really want to see these pictures.


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## aljuarez (Mar 16, 2005)

More nice buildings in the financial district! 

1.American International Building, 1932









2.Bank of New York, 1932, American International Building, 1932









3.American International Building, 1932









4.









5.









6.









7. City Bank Farmers Trust Building, 1931









8.City Bank Farmers Trust Building, 1931









9.Bank of New York, 1932









10.









11. Realty Building, 1907









12.









13. Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, 1907 









14.









15.Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, 1907 









16.Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House, 1907 









17.









18.









19. Banker's Trust









20.









21.









22.









23.









24.









25.









26.









27. City Bank Farmers Trust Building, 1931









28. City Bank Farmers Trust Building, 1931









29.









30.









31.









32.









33. Banker's Trust









34.









35. Trinity Church, 1846









36.Trinity Church Cemetery









37.Bank of New York, 1932









38.









39. 









40. Realty Building, 1907


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## SO143 (Feb 11, 2011)

Thank you for sharing these absolutely incredible pictures of Manhattan. 

I have always been a massive fan of this wonderful City. :applause:


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## Guest (May 20, 2011)

No place quite like it  Simply stunning ! I love the new Gehry tower :drool: and your photography :colgate: Thanks.


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## geoff189d (Jun 4, 2005)

Picture 11 is the Trinity Building 1907 with the U.S. Realty of the same date immediately behind it. They are of similar design and are known as "The Thames Twins" as I believe Thames St runs between them.


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## RobertWalpole (Mar 16, 2010)

This park was the site of many protests against King George III before the American Revolution.


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## aljuarez (Mar 16, 2005)

Thanks, Bob! Thanks Geoff!


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## geoff189d (Jun 4, 2005)

aljuarez said:


> Thanks, Bob! Thanks Geoff!


Sorry, I should have said pictures 9 and 10.


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## Nightsky (Sep 16, 2002)

Really great details of NY architecture! I plan to go there this summmer!


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## Arrrgh (May 10, 2007)

I'm sorry I can't help you identify the buildings, but omg if these towers were people I'd have sex with them!


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