New York City

The event I had been waiting for all summer, my holiday to New York City finally arrived at the end of august. I went with my parents and some of our family friends and it was an amazing experience. Into 5 days we packed in an incredible amount, resulting in over 800 photos, so I will tell you about my highlights of the trip and share with you some of my favourite photos.

Sunday...

After beginning our day with a very big and delicious brunch at B.B.King’s Blues Club, whilst watching the Harlem Gospel Choir perform, we headed to the Rockefeller Centre. We chose a good day to go up Rockefeller as the weather was settled and the blue skies created the perfect backdrop. Rockefeller Centre is actually a complex of many art deco buildings; we travelled up the seventy storeys of 30 Rockefeller Plaza to the observation deck. With a 360° view of Manhattan, you look down on to Central park, either side to the Hudson river and East River and you can see all the way to Statue of Liberty. And of course from the ‘Top Of The Rock’ you are provided with the best view of the Empire State Building.

We spent the evening in Little Italy. The area was just as vibrant and as lively as upper Manhattan but was populated by a traffic of people rather than taxis and tour buses. The roads were closed off in the evenings so the area could become fully pedestrianized. All the buildings were painted red, green and white and the streets were decorated with tinsel and lights, the kind of embellishment you would only see here in the UK at Christmas time. It was a lovely place to spend the evening, having dinner in an Italian restaurant and casually strolling through the streets busy with shops and stalls. It offered a nice break from the loud and hectic atmosphere of places like Times Square, and it is always interesting to see how different cultures put there mark on a place.

Monday...

On Monday morning we went to explore the Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts, as I was interested in seeing the Hypar Pavilion. I had previously looked at the construction of the Hypar Pavilion as a precedent for a green roof in one of my studio projects, so of course I wanted to take this opportunity to see the building for real. Designed by architects Diller Scofidio + Renfro, the internal space of the structure is a restaurant while the green roof functions as a public space. The green roof emerges from the ground creating space beneath it, and the building is reflected in the adjacent pool.

From the Lincoln Centre we walked towards Central Park where we stopped to spend some time at Strawberry Fields. Here we joined many others who had come to pay tribute and remember John Lennon.

On leaving Central Park we hopped on an open top tour bus to take us through Harlem. Unfortunately grey clouds filled the sky and the rain came down, which made it quite difficult to see any Harlem, but the tour guide took pity on all the tourists aboard the bus and offered to make at stop at the Cathedral Of Saint John The Divine. Construction of the cathedral began in 1892, but due to World War II work had to pause, and once resumed the cathedral has had to since close on occasions due to disasters such as fire. It was a flying visit but definitely worth mentioning, although construction is still incomplete the interior was beautiful and with a calm and peaceful atmosphere. When finished the cathedral will be the largest in the world of a gothic-style.

After drying off, of course the sunshine came out and the weather was perfect so in the afternoon we jumped on a boat to get a proper look at the Statue of Liberty, and then onto Ellis Island. We ended our day with a walk along the Brooklyn Bridge, which provided us with views of Manhattan, and Brooklyn.

Tuesday...

We began the day with a trip to the Guggenheim. An iconic building by the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, I just love this structure with it being so different to anything that surrounds it. I really enjoy how work is displayed in the spiral ramp gallery, giving order and progression to the pieces of art, rather than clustered in room. This is where the main exhibition is always displayed which you can see instantly upon entering the building. The design has in the past been criticized for overshadowing the artwork, and I have to say for me the architecture was my favourite bit!

We returned through Central Park, in the direction of Grand Central Station. Approaching the main concourse felt so familiar as it is a place so often used in American films and dramas. A terminal for people travelling to and from the city, a place of shopping and dining for natives and tourists, also serving as a spot for a newly married couple to have their wedding photos taken. As well as trying to get some classic shots of Grand Central, I wanted to try and capture the chaotic movement and surges of people through the main concourse.

In the late afternoon we took the Subway down to Greenwich village, and with the help of our trusty travel guide we did a self directed walking tour of the area. It turned out to be my favourite spot within the city. Much more ‘chilled out’ in comparison to areas such as Times Square, nor overshadowed by skyscrapers or confined to the grid layout of streets but more of a hap-hazard arrangement. Wandering through streets of houses made from brown stone, and stumbling upon Washington Square Park where locals sit at chess tables waiting for someone to come and take up the challenge. The fountain in the centre was surrounded and occupied by people of all ages. From here we continued to wander, and I became fascinated with these brick buildings where the bricks appeared to be bulging having exploded, creating an uneven façade. I have yet to find out the story behind these unusual looking bricks though! Another highlight of Greenwich Village was finding a little record store, so overflowing with vinlys and CDs there wasn’t room to turn around or move past someone. Boxes piled up to my shoulders I was slightly reluctant to browse in fear that everything would topple over.

Once evening approached we ventured up the Empire State Building, to see the ‘city that never sleeps’ from above. It was a quite an amazing sight to see so many lights illuminate the buildings of Manhattan and continue on into the distance.

Wednesday...

On our final full day we went to Chelsea where we visited the High Line. The vision of two young men to preserve an old elevated railway track and transform it into a public park with the help of neighbours, artists and local businesses has changed the face of the area. Spanning a mile the park weaves between new and old buildings, providing connections to apartment buildings and acting as a back garden to some. For many the High Line is an alternative more pleasant walk through the neighbourhood, with occasional niches to sit alone and read or meet up with friends. Other stopping points include tiered seating areas with framed views to watch the traffic below. As a tourist the High Line provided me with a pleasing walk through the area and the opportunity to see lots of new architecture, including the Headquarters of IAC by Frank Gehry, HL23 at 517 West Twenty-Third Street, by Neil Denari and Diane Von Furstenberg Studio Headquarters by WORKac.