15x Best Architecture in NYC (2024)
Written by Ona Carranza and Cedric Rutten November 2023, updated January 2024
New York City, a magnet for tourists worldwide, offers an extraordinary array of modern architectural marvels that distinguish its skyline. This guide highlights 15 remarkable buildings, each contributing uniquely to the city's cultural and architectural tapestry.
From Eero Saarinen’s iconic TWA Hotel to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum, these structures showcase innovative designs and historical significance.
Whether you're an architecture enthusiast or a curious traveler, explore how these modernist masterpieces define NYC's skyline and cultural decadence.
Read the full New York City Travel Guide here
Best Architecture & Design in NYC
1. TWA Hotel and Terminal at JFK by Eero Saarinen
© TWA Hotel
Opened in 2019, the TWA Hotel is located at JFK Airport Terminal 4 in Queens. Beyer Blinder Belle redesigned it off the initial TWA Flight Center designed by Eero Saarinen in 1962.
The futuristic style of the building suggests it was far before its time — considered to be mid-century modern and now thought of as a landmark in the architecture sphere. Guests are welcome to stay in any 512 rooms with standard nightly bookings, or 4, 6, or 12-hour periods for a nap and shower.
Address: John F. Kennedy International Airport, JFK Access Road One, Idlewild Dr
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2. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum by Frank Lloyd Wright
© T meltzer, via Wikimedia Commons
Located right next to Central Park, the Guggenheim was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and built-in 1959. The project began when Lloyd received a letter from Hilla Rebay – requesting a design for a museum, unlike any other museum in the world.
Lloyd was known to make an effort to use materials to highlight their natural texture and colors, creative spaces that feel organic and open with natural light. The inverted ziggurat offers a rotunda that spirals from flows from the ground floor to the top — in which all the galleries lie.
Despite having many critics for its unique shape, the building is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Address: 1071 5th Ave, New York, NY 10128
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3. The New Museum
© Moritz Schmaltz, via Wikimedia Commons
On Bowery find The New Museum, a space filled with Contemporary Art, designed by Japanese duo Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa in 1977. To give context, The Bowery was initially met with some confusion for a spot for an art museum – but it truly makes a lot of sense.
Bowery is an area of acceptance for misfits, as is the contemporary art museum a space for historically underappreciated unconventional artists. The building does not have the shape of a reconstructed box, as seven different sizes were cut out and restocked atop one another — the way it is laid down appears to almost be falling off the sight.
Address: 235 Bowery, New York, NY 10002
4. IAC Building
© XalD, via Wikimedia Commons
Another honorable mention is the IAC Building at W 18th St in Chelsea, designed by Frank Gehry in 2007. A more recent design, yet it has a very organic shape. After two years of construction, the building was created to offer light and open space — a fresh take on a corporate office building.
With curves and ridges, it inspires workers to come into the office every day rather than looking at a traditional work building. The Building is covered in glass and gives a skeletal shape in contrast with the white structure.
It can be broken into two sections: a wider lower part that takes the shape of sections packed in together, and the top part in thinner chunks sitting above.
Address: 555 W 18th St, New York, NY 10011
5. The Shed
© Ajay Suresh, via Wikimedia Commons
The Shed lives next to Hudson Yards, — while many come to see The Vessel, this overlooked piece was designed by Diller Scofidio + Renfro and Rockwell Group, after being proposed in 2008, it was finally opened to the public in 2019.
At its core, the space is not tied to any single artist or resident company, the building offers a space that is innovative and flexible. In contrast to a corporate area in which each structure is driven to make money for a larger company, the Shed stands out from its exterior and its ever-evolving mission.
The space offers a very euphoric air, with one glass piece visibly protruding from a large vertical building.
Address: 545 W 30th St, New York, NY 10001
6. Oculus Center by Santiago Calatrava
© Anthony Quintano, via Wikimedia Commons
The minute you walk into the building, it feels like entering the stomach of a whale. The two large arches soar nearly 165 feet above ground, and its overall structure is said to be inspired by the Pantheon in Rome – given the name because of the Oculus in the Italian building.
The skeletal structure offers a futuristic feeling, paired with the clean white finishings and bright light, designed by Santiago Calatrava.
The exterior was created to resemble a dove leaving a Child's hands —offering hope as it was created to reimagine the World Trade Center. The space is one to add to NYC bucket lists to check out the unique crevices of the building.
7. Lincoln Center by David Geffen Hall
© Ajay Suresh, via Wikimedia Commons
The Lincoln Center was originally labeled the New York State Theatre as it was part of the World’s Fair in 1964-65. Philharmonic Hall was built first, now labeled the David Geffen Hall, home to the oldest philharmonic; it was designed by Max Abramovitz.
It was transformed twice, in ‘76 and finally in ‘92 by Diamond Schmitt Architects and Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects. With slight adjustments, seating was reduced, the stage moved forward, seats were upholstered in custom Jacquard and overall the appearance offered a more immersive and acoustically intense experience.
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8. 56 Leonard by Herzog & de Meuron
© Harvey Barrison, via Wikimedia Commons
Standing like a Jenga puzzle, 56 Leonard is a site to stop and stare at for a while. Each apartment is a block stacked on top of the floor below, it makes one wonder how it is structurally sound.
Pritzker Prize-winning Swiss Architecture firm Herzog & de Meuron Goldstein imagined the building with reinforced concrete and is composted of various cast-in-place slabs that hold together the building structure.
Within the structure, a thick stone stairwell is a dream, chunky and taking on the shape of a toy staircase. The building was constructed by thinking of the rooms as pixels, each a unit.
Address: 56 Leonard St, New York, NY 10013
9. Empire State Building
© Daniel Schwen, via Wikimedia Commons
No list would be complete without the 1250-foot tall achievement that exists in every single skyline image. Designed in an Art Deco style, the Empire State Building was designed by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon, in 1930 and its name comes from New York’s nickname — the “Empire State”.
Taking over the space that the Waldorf Astoria resided in, the building was constructed as the brainchild of Governor Alfred E. Smith and his finance partner John Jakob Raskob as an attempt to inspire American people by its height and help stabilize a very quickly failing economy.
As a symbol of the city that never sleeps, the tall building, with dormer windows and a “French roof” the American building symbolized the technological powers of the US.
Address: 20 W 34th St., New York, NY 10001
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10. Whitney Museum of American Art by Renzo Piano
© Ajay Suresh, via Wikimedia Commons
Renzo Piano’s Whitney Museum opened to the public in 2015. After leaving the previous location, another architectural feat, it was imperative to have another iconic building. An emblem of a glass era in architecture, the museum offers views of the west side highway and a beautiful outdoor terrace.
Inside the building, it is hard to understand where you are within the space — likely due to the fact it is the largest column-free museum in NYC. The asymmetrical form contrasts with many of the industrial buildings within Chelsea.
Not only constructed beautifully, the museum resides right over the Hudson River, offering stunning views of Little Island and the water.
Address: 99 Gansevoort St, New York, NY 10014
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11. Seagram Building by Mies van der Rohe
© Max Hermus, via Wikimedia Commons
The Seagram Building, a masterpiece by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe completed in 1958, stands as an exemplar of modernist architecture. Located on Park Avenue in Manhattan, this sleek 38-story skyscraper is celebrated for its minimalist design and innovative use of materials.
Clad in bronze and tinted glass, its clean lines and open plaza revolutionized skyscraper aesthetics. Mies' creation symbolizes the marriage of simplicity and functionality, with its unadorned exterior and spacious, column-free interior spaces.
Embodying the ethos "less is more," the Seagram Building remains a defining icon of the International Style, influencing generations of architects and setting a standard for urban architectural elegance and sophistication.
Address: 375 Park Ave, New York, NY 10152
12. Chrysler Building by William Van Alen
© Highsmith, Carol M, via Wikimedia Commons
The Chrysler Building, an architectural masterpiece designed by William Van Alen, is a symbol of Art Deco elegance in New York City. Completed in 1930, it stands at 1,046 feet, reigning as an iconic structure of the skyline.
Adorned with distinctive crown-like arches, stainless steel cladding, and intricate ornamentation, it exemplifies the era's progressive design.
Despite no longer being the tallest, its timeless allure and innovative construction techniques continue to captivate as a testament to Van Alen's visionary brilliance.
13. SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
© Bobak Ha'Eri, via Wikimedia Commons
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, a soaring addition to Manhattan's skyline, stands as a pinnacle of modern architecture. Completed in 2021, this supertall skyscraper, reaching a height of 1,401 feet, dominates the Midtown area.
Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, it offers a fusion of innovation and sustainability, featuring a glass-clad facade and a distinctive terracotta veil.
As the tallest office building in Midtown Manhattan, it houses state-of-the-art workspaces, an observation deck providing breathtaking views of the city, and a diverse array of dining and retail options. SUMMIT One Vanderbilt stands as a symbol of contemporary urban excellence in New York City.
Address: 45 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017
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14. Tribeca Synagogue
© Beyond My Ken, via Wikimedia Commons
The structure is hard to miss, despite being sandwiched between two gallery spaces, the Tribeca Synagogue’s curvature protrudes from the flat buildings on White St. Designed by William N. Breger, this award-winning structure was completed in 1967.
The facade's curvature has been described as a grand piano soundboard as it sits above a plaza. The synagogue was recognized as a Synagogue for the arts, welcoming artists and poetry readings in the unique space, and later renamed Tribeca Synagogue, the heart of the space still remains welcoming to creatives in downtown Manhattan.
Address: 49 White St, New York, NY 10013
15. The American Radiator Building (Bryant Park Hotel)
© Jean-Christophe Benoist, via Wikimedia Commons
The Radiator Building located in Manhattan stands as an iconic architectural gem. Completed in 1924, it was designed by Raymond Hood, boasting a distinctive Art Deco style. This 23-story structure, renowned for its unique shape resembling a vintage radiator, showcases exquisite brickwork and intricate detailing.
Situated at 40 West 40th Street, it remains a testament to innovative design, contributing to New York's diverse and rich architectural landscape. Today it houses the Bryant Park Hotel.
Address: 40 W 40th St, New York, NY 10018
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