New York Midtown North Art and Architecture Tour

Situated at the heart of New York City, Midtown and its surrounding neighborhoods are the dynamic epicenter of the metropolis. This locality’s frenetic energy finds physical translation in the dazzling lights of Time Square and the ascendant skyscrapers of the business district. During this Midtown Manhattan Architecture Tour, we will chart the history of Midtown through its architecture, starting with examples from the early twentieth century and culminating with the latest additions to this area’s urban landscape. Among the buildings we will visit and discuss are Grand Central, the Chrysler and Empire State buildings, the Sony Building, Austrian Culture Center, MoMA, Rockefeller Center and many others.

Famous buildings featured on this tour:
Grand Central Terminal, Reed and Stem and Warren and Wetmore, 1913
One Vanderbilt, KPF, 2016-20
MetLife Building, Architects Collaborative, 1962
Helmsley Building, Warren and Wetmore, 1929
Chrysler Building, William van Alen, 1930
Ford Foundation, Roche Dinkeloo, 1967
Tudor City, Fred French & Co.,1928
United Nations complex, Oscar Niemeyer, Le Corbusier, 1948
Lever House, SOM, 1953
Racquet & Tennis Club, McKim Mead & White, 1918
Seagram Building, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe & Philip Johnson, 1958
Citicorp Center, Hugh Stubbins, 1978
GE Building, Raymond Hood, 1933
Sony Building, Philip Johnson, 1983
Rafael Vinoli, 432 Park Avenue Condominiums, 2015
IBM Building, E. Larrabee Barnes, 1982
ShoP Architects, 111 W 57St Condominiums, 2022
University Club, McKim, Mead & White, 1899
MoMA, Yoshio Taniguchi, 2004, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, 2019
53 West 53, Jean Nouvell, 2007-19
Austrian Cultural Center, Raimund Abraham, 2002
Villard Houses, McKim Mead & White, 1886
St. Patrick’s Cathedral, James Renwick, Jr., 1879
Rockefeller Center, Henry Hofmeister, H.W. Corbett, Raymond Hood, 1930-39
JP Morgan Chase, Norman Foster, 2025
NY Yacht Club, Warren & Wetmore, 1899
Harvard Club, McKim Mead & White, 1894

Your guide:
Dr. Ivan Shumkov is a New York based licensed architect, urban planner, entrepreneur, and professor with more than 20 years of experience across the private, public, and academic sectors. He is the founder of Build World and Build Academy, organizations dedicated to providing professional solutions and education for the built environment.

Ivan combines his experience of practicing and teaching architecture with his passion for discovering and sharing the history and secrets of New York. His tours provoke curiosity, show hidden urban gems, and give opportunities for experiencing and understanding art and architecture in a unique way. He helps his guests to see and connect the city through the eyes of an architect. They are activated and transformed by these immersive experiences and view the city in a new way.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Grand Central Terminal, 89 East 42nd Street, New York, United States