Architecture Talks and Tours Coming Up in NYC
By Alison Durkee
Get a new perspective on architecture both past and present through these upcoming talks and events.
1939 World’s Fair. View through columns of trylon and perisphere/Library of Congress.
The best way to discover New York’s architecture, of course, may be hitting the streets to see it for yourself, as architecture buffs can do on walking tours offered throughout the summer. Discover the city’s more historical architecture on a walking tour of the Art Deco treasures on Central Park West (June 2), or head inside one of New York’s most iconic buildings as Untapped Cities offers a VIP tour of the Woolworth Building (June 15, July 20). Another feat of architecture and engineering, the Brooklyn Bridge, will be the focus of a May 25 event, as the Conservancy at Brooklyn Bridge Park offers a special family tour to mark the bridge’s 136th anniversary. Over in Queens, another tour will offer the chance to discover the architectural remnants of the 1939 and 1964 World’s Fairs, as well as insights into Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. That tour will take place throughout the summer on May 25, June 22, and July 21.
Image: Iker Alonso/Flickr
Other tours will offer a look at some of the newest additions to the city skyline. The Municipal Art Society of New York will take on the art and architecture of the controversial Hudson Yards on June 28, as well as explore the new developments along the Hudson in the West 50s on June 13. AIA NY and the Center for Architecture will also examine the changes along Manhattan’s west side on a June 9 tour, which will focus on the High Line, Hudson River Park, and new architecture in West Chelsea.
Image: Ed Lederman
New Yorkers can also use upcoming architectural tours to learn more about the city’s vibrant arts scene. A June 15 “Art Wars” tour will focus on the museums along Museum Mile, including The Met and Guggenheim, and their creation, with insights into how the museums’ architecture reflects their founders and collections. On June 2, theatre lovers can learn more about the city’s historic Broadway theaters, as a walking tour explores the history of Broadway’s theatre district. Fans of all genres of the performing arts can also enjoy daily guided tours of Lincoln Center, one of the city’s greatest arts institutions—and architectural icons.
In addition to walking tours, architecture buffs can take a load off and enjoy upcoming talks and lectures. The Center for Architecture will offer a full slate of architectural talks, including upcoming screenings on 100 years of Bauhaus (May 30), a talks on the forensics of architecture (June 5), and sociologist Eric Klinenberg’s new book Palaces for the People (June 10), which explores how social infrastructure can help combat inequality. Architecture’s link with the broader community will be the focus of other upcoming talks as well, as an event at the Cooper Hewitt museum May 29 with architects Alfonso Medina and Henry Muñoz centers on how urban development can help spur economic growth and socio-political equality. Another talk on May 29 at the 92nd Street Y will focus on downtown neighborhoods specifically, as urban planner Alexander Garvin and architecture critic Paul Goldberger explore why past downtowns have either thrived or failed, and how cities can chart a path forward for more prosperous downtowns.
All of smart New York in one weekly email: The Curriculum, free from Thought Gallery.