NEW YORK CITY
AND ITS EVER CHANGING ARCHITECTURE
I feel like my earlier blogs on buildings so far have maybe been a bit overly negative. So, I want to do another than maybe talks about some more modern buildings in a more positive light. I thought what better place to look for buildings than New York. The financial capital of the world. The city that never sleeps. The big apple. And so on and so on. With so many people and so much money there is always new developments in the city. I also feel like they are a good example of somewhere that more carefully considers their developments. Where many places settled for building lacklustre buildings in the post war era and the years since, New York almost did the opposite. I’ve never actually been mind you, but I really want to and have always had almost a fascination with the many buildings and styles of the ‘concrete jungle’.
Oculus, Santiago Calatrava, 2016I feel like a good starting point would be the new developments at the WTC site. While One WTC is an arguably stunning building and almost a symbol of hope for the city, I feel the standout of this development is the Oculus transportation hub. The outside of this building is a bit bold. Completely different from the cube like buildings you may associate with the city, and I think it works. It is not just another sheet of glass in a sea of glass buildings. It is completely different. It sits in a site of mostly new developments, as the site was essentially flattened on 9/11, which is perfect for this adventurous and modern shape. Designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, it is meant to symbolise a bird being released from a child’s hands. The idea of hope as it spreads it rises up and spreads its wings into the city sky. I think it’s effective. The almost excessive use of bright white space does give an almost heavenly sense of hope, something which is important given the context. It also still slots nicely into the grid system of the city from above, while looking completely different from the ground.
InteriorWhile the exterior is stunning, I feel the interior is where this building really shines. I feel it is a rarer example of a modern buildings really creating that sense of grandeur that is often evident in elaborate ornate train stations of the past. It does this with the opposite effect though, harnessing the use of natural light and sleek flowing white pillars. What is visible from above is merely a small glimpse of the top of a grand space that extends deeper into the ground.
It doesn’t feel the need to replicate what the city used to have in its place. It’s a completely new building ushering in a new era for the city post 9/11, not forgetting what happened but embracing how the city has bounced back. A lot of symbolism and history inspired this building. Even without considering all that, I think it is just a cool bit of contemporary design on a large and expensive scale.
520 West 28th Street, Zaha Hadid, 2017 Another example that I think is very interesting is 520 West 28th Street. Designed by Zaha Hadid and opened in 2017, this takes a pretty fun approach to some modern housing that isn’t just another thin glass spire. It takes a more sculptural approach as opposed to the cubes the city is used to, similar to what the Oculus does. It is not a complete departure from the designs of the past, it is just a stunning new way of thinking about it. It could easily be something out of a sci-fi movie but when you see it in context it just works for some reason. As with all these blogs I find it difficult to put to words what it is that I love about these buildings.
Steel ExteriorInteriorThe details and wacky layers on the outside ensure it still looks interesting and intricate. The picture above was sent to me by my girlfriend Kara when she visited recently, and is basically what sparked this entire blog. It’s not just a flat facade. It has something to it. This transfers into the inside which harnesses the windows and natural light again to create a modern, bright, and uplifting space. I feel that the reason this building works so well is partly due to the area it is in. It has been transformed by the High Line; a repurposed rail line turned into an elevated green space in the city. I feel like this adds to the sci-fi sort of look. Tying together the old and new developments in the area. It just looks like an old rail line from the ground that blends in with the older architecture. Then when looking from above, it almost gives that sense of a space station that has been designed to accommodate some green space. An artificial glimpse of trees and life in an otherwise built-up area.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the High Line and its possibilities for the city. Decades ago, I used to visit the galleries in the area and consider how to build along the route. It's very exciting to be building there now,” - Zaha Hadid
High LineI just absolutely love this concept. Turning an abandoned bit of infrastructure into something that completely transforms this part of the city. This will be one of my first stops when I visit. The idea of being able to walk through this labyrinth of different buildings, styles and designs in a space that feels slightly natural just sounds so relaxing. In my dream world this is what we would do with the M8 motorway through Glasgow.
8 Spruce Street, Frank Gehry, 2011The last building I want to talk about is 8 Spruce Street, designed by Frank Gehry. This is one that is almost hard to miss. Securing itself as a staple in the skyline, whether people like it or not, as the highest residential tower in the Western Hemisphere. I personally think it is an effective design. It looks new and it looks fun and intriguing, but from afar it also blends in with the rest of the skyline. I feel this is a good example of designing to suit an already existing space and style. While many new skyscrapers in the city are kind of just glass towers in different shapes, this one is carefully considered. It shows you can create something new that still ties into its surroundings, while not limiting the design and final outcome. It looks familiar with the overall boxy shape, but on closer inspection it is a very interesting and intricate design.
When looking from the ground closer up, it gives a completely different look and perspective of the building. It isn’t just different for the sake of it, the flowing curved stainless steel exterior houses windows that allow the rooms inside to have bay like windows. So, it offers panoramic views in a way that is not possible from many other big skyscrapers in the city. It is supposedly inspired by 17th Century Italian sculptor Gianlorenzo Bernini. His sculptures featured intricate draping and sculpted curves. It is like a remix of a New York classic style.
So, there you go. A few modern-day buildings that I think are effective. They each take a slightly different approach and I hope this gives a good idea of my thinking. While a lot of buildings built these days lack what these have, it shows good design is still possible. Modern advancements in materials in construction can allow for truly beautiful designs if the right people are given the chance.