Eric P. Nash on Hudson Yards and His New Book, "Sky

How super-tall, pencil-thin buildings are changing Manhattan's classic skyline

June 7, 2023

Reading Time: 3 minutes

One of the most surprising effects of the new super-talls is not how they change the perception of the city from within but rather from a great distance. By and large, the towers of extraordinary height blend almost imperceptibly into the street fabric, such as Jean Nouvel's 53 West 53rd, which links with the Museum of Modern Art at sidewalk level and whose super-tall height is belied by setbacks that subtly slant backward.

The super-tall towers become shockingly noticeable when perceived from a great distance from the city. For better or worse, the familiar Art Deco–setback skyline has been eradicated. Monuments like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building appear almost toy-size compared with monoliths such as Central Park Tower and Hudson Yards.

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