Thursday, August 21, 2014

Manhattan Classic, New York's Finest Prewar Apartments

I was very excited to recently receive a copy of Princeton Architectural Press's new book "Manhattan Classic" by Geoffrey Lynch, pictured below, (from the firm H3 Hardy Collaboration Architecture) which features the best 'Prewar' apartment buildings in NYC.
This well organized book starts with a map of NYC which shows the location of the buildings covered. Each chapter then features an exemplary floorplan of the prime unit in each building as well as photos of additional apartments.  In many ways it reminds me a lot of Washingon, DC's version of this (our real estate bible!) Best Addresses by James Goode (another book I can't recommend more highly!)
For architectural floorplan lovers like me you won't be able to put this book down - pure floorplan porn with over 84 apartments featured!
Some of the images you may recognize such as this apartment from 998 Fifth Avenue but it's interesting to see them placed within their buildings and area of the city -putting a name to the face so to speak. I love this dining room above and the staircase located within the same duplex apartment, seen below, is even more stunning!
Some people may sneer at apartment living as 'small' but this book proves that the dwellers of these apartments aren't missing out on anything from a single family home!  Pick up your own copy of the book today and settle down with a glass of wine to study the floorplans; I promise you won't regret it!!

6 comments:

Merlyn Corcoran said...

Sounds like a fascinating look at NYC homes; I love floorplans, too! Had to look up which war, and found this interesting article in the Times:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/04/realestate/getting-started-defining-postwar-and-prewar-apartments.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

A Perfect Gray said...

looks like a really good one.

Hels said...

How much influence would you say Art Deco had in the pre war years?

Stephilius said...

"Floorplan porn" enthusiasts unite! ; )

Mark D. Ruffner said...

Hi, Stefan,

I've always been a fan of the arched door style you've included under the floorplan. That Tudor look seemed to reach its senith in the 1920s, and I'm glad the successive owners of 998 haven't seen fit to renovate it away!

Ann said...

Oh that looks so interesting! Adding yet another to my running book list.