Artsmart Roundtable: An Architectural Tour at Madison Square Park

New York City's architecture can be overwhelming and with the hub and bub of the city passing you by, it can be hard to take in. After visiting New York recently, I realized that parks are the perfect homebase for doing an impromptu architectural tour. One of the finest is Madison Square Park, who not only gives you a front row seat to one of New York's most noted landmarks, the Flatiron Building (pictured above,) but a peek at architecture both old and new, and maybe even a milkshake.

Many of the buildings are from around the turn of the 20th century and provide the perfect backdrop for comparing modern-day architecture. Just one hundred years have passed and look how the skyscraper has changed. Pier Le Brun's obelisk made of stone at MetLife has given way to a sculpted tower of glass created by CetraRuddy.

Variety also makes up the buildings that flank the square, not only do you find highrises but you also find a marble temple dedicate to justice, complete with an oversized sculptural embodiment of Justice, himself.

A contemporary addition worth noting, is the Shake Shack that is situated within the park itself. The building mirrors the shape of the nearby Flatiron and mimics its natural surroundings by covering the roof and backside with ivy. I also hear it has a decent milkshake that's perfect for washing down all this visual beauty that surrounds you.

American Institute of Architects Guide to New York City. Available on Amazon, $27 or at your local library.

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