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Artful Explorations
By : Saxon Henry
Like people, cities have personalities that are honed over time, and influenced by both nature and nurture. Two of the best lenses through which to view a city’s character are its architecture and public art. Though cast in stone, wood, metal and glass, and seemingly frozen in time, these two urbanscape elements constitute a living history.
A four-city tour will serve as a series of snapshots to illustrate this point. We begin with the oldest city on our journey, New York, which was founded in 1624. “An architectural tour of the city will reveal great examples from every period of architecture,” says Francis Morrone, co-author with Matthew A. Postal of 10 Architectural Walks in Manhattan. “They span from Dutch Colonial farmhouses in Brooklyn and Queens and early Federal Style buildings in Manhattan to the most progressive modernism.”
If you limit your consideration to buildings, Morrone says you’ll miss majestic works of architecture in the city’s bridges. “It’s important to think about New York’s relationship to the water,” he explains. “Visiting the Fulton Street pier in Manhattan or The River Café and the park between the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges in Brooklyn will offer a view of the great sweep of the island as it meets the water.”
According to Jean Parker Phifer, author of Public Art, a must-see in terms of art installations is Rockefeller Center. “The Noguchi murals in the lobby at 30 Rock are pure wisdom,” she says. “There are often temporary installations of contemporary art at Rockefeller, too, like Sky Mirror by Anish Kapoor, which was incredible to experience.”
The next city on our sweep across the U.S. is Chicago, founded in 1833. “By studying the architecture, you can sense how architects in Chicago were finding a new way to build at the turn of the century,” says Robert McCarter, who has penned a number of books, including Frank Lloyd Wright: Architect. If you see only one site, he recommends Unity Temple. Other standouts include Frank Lloyd Wright’s home and studio in Oak Park, and The Modern Wing at the Art Institute of Chicago, designed by Renzo Piano.
Judith Paine McBrien, author of Pocket Guide to Chicago Architecture, believes architects have an incentive to shine in Chicago. “The city has a tradition of valuing its built environment,” she explains. “Architects are determined to do their best work here because people are watching.” She urges a visit to Frank Gehry’s Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park, which won a National Medal of Art. One of the best ways to see the entire city, she adds, is by taking a Chicago Architecture Foundation river cruise.
Next up, we travel to Palm Springs, a stagecoach stop as early as 1872 but not founded until 1876. This city is a microcosm of iconic mid-century architecture. “There is a strong architectural tourism heritage here,” says Alan Hess, author of Palm Springs Weekend and Julius Shulman: Palm Springs. “This was almost lost in the 1980s and 90s when the architecture wasn’t being appreciated and was being torn down.”
Robert Imber, founder of Palm Springs Modern Tours, notes that architectural history unfolds immediately for those who arrive through the airport terminal. “Built in 1965, it is one of our most significant mid-century buildings,” he explains. “The original architect was Donald Wexler and it was recently partially designated as a Class One Historic Site.” Along with Wexler and other lauded local architects, a number of world-renowned names added to Palm Springs’ mid-century milieu, including John Lautner and Richard Neutra.
Dion Neutra, Richard’s son, remembers how excited his father was to design a Palm Springs retreat for Grace Lewis Miller, dubbed the Miller House on tours. “Dad had a special feeling for Palm Springs so it was a kick for him to get to design there,” he says. “He compared this project to being asked to design a ‘moon landing station,’ as there were no restrictions as to tile roofs, Mediterranean references and the like.” Palm Springs celebrates its architecture in February each year during Modernism Week, taking place this year from the 12th to the 21st.
The youngest city we visit is Miami, which was founded in 1896. Though the Art Deco district on and around Ocean Drive receives great attention, there are other haunts worth noting. Architect and professor Allan T. Shulman of Shulman + Associates, who edited the newly released Miami Modern Metropolis: Paradise and Paradox in Midcentury Architecture and Planning, encourages visitors to take a drive along Biscayne Boulevard from its intersection with the Miami River to 84th Street to view a dynamic history in post-war architecture. “The city was designed to use every possible tactic to draw people to it and architecture is one of them,” he says. “With Miami, it wasn’t just about building a city, it was about building atmosphere and identity, which is evident in the hotels on Biscayne Boulevard.”
Mid-century modern has a strong presence in Coconut Grove. Architect Max Strang of Max Strang Architecture, who lives in the Grove, says it’s a hidden gem. “The strong movement of tropical modernism in the 1950s resulted in some important architecture,” he says. “The Grove’s urban fabric includes buildings by visionary architects like Alfred Browning Parker and Jorge Arango.” Strang recommends a stroll along the town’s sidewalks leading to Kampong, the estate of David Fairchild, under the great banyan trees.
Architect Patricia Bosch of Perkins + Will, who designed the renovation of the Art Deco landmark Hotel Victor on Ocean Drive, believes Miami’s mix of cultures inspired its built environment. “Miami is so diverse in all realms,” she explains. “It’s filled with an intermingling of musical, artistic and cultural styles that influence how architects design here.”
How To Get There: American Airlines & American Eagle provide service to Chicago O’Hare, Miami, Newark, LaGuardia, JFK and Palm Springs.
Book your trip today! Visit www.aa.com, call American/American Eagle reservations at 1-800-433-7300, or call your travel agent for more information.
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