Destinations / New York City / Top Things to Do in New York City for Architecture Fans in SoHo
Top Things to Do in New York City for Architecture Fans in SoHo
1. E. V. Haughwout Building
A quintessential cast‑iron palace whose rhythmic arcades and oversized windows define SoHo’s streetscape. Its elegant, modular facade shows how 19th‑century ironwork created light, airy lofts above bustling storefronts.
✓ Why Go:
It’s a textbook of cast‑iron architecture and a landmark in retail innovation—perfect for studying proportion, repetition, and facade composition.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Early morning or late afternoon for soft, raking light and fewer pedestrians.
✓ Insider Tip:
Stand diagonally across Broadway and Broome to frame the full corner elevation and capture the layered arcades in one shot.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Photographers and architecture students linger here; casual visitors often leave surprised by how refined cast iron can be.
2. Little Singer Building
A jewel‑like loft building with delicate balconies and filigreed metal screens that lend a lacework quality to its facade amid SoHo’s retail buzz.
✓ Why Go:
It’s a rare, graceful take on industrial architecture where ornament, craft, and lightness meet.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Late afternoon when warm light reveals the texture of the metalwork and deep window reveals.
✓ Insider Tip:
Step into the recessed entry to study the fine grillwork up close; then photograph obliquely from Prince Street for depth.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Visitors call it a “jewel box” on Broadway and praise how delicacy survives in a high‑traffic corridor.
3. Gunther Building
A grand corner loft with fluted columns, arched windows, and a bold cornice—Broome Street cast iron at its most sculptural.
✓ Why Go:
The corner reveals how cast‑iron systems wrap two elevations seamlessly while maintaining rhythm and symmetry.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Weekend mornings before delivery trucks line Broome Street.
✓ Insider Tip:
Photograph from the Greene Street side to emphasize the vertical bay rhythm; a wide‑angle lens helps.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Architecture fans praise its three‑dimensional relief; some note street activity can obstruct views.
4. King of Greene Street
Nicknamed for its grandeur, this towering facade layers columns, pilasters, and ornate capitals into a soaring, near‑theatrical composition.
✓ Why Go:
It’s a definitive Greene Street statement—monumental yet finely detailed, capturing SoHo’s cast‑iron opulence.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Late afternoon when shadows carve the ornament and emphasize depth.
✓ Insider Tip:
Stand at Greene and Spring to appreciate the uninterrupted “street canyon” effect unique to SoHo.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Visitors gush over the iron lacework and harmonious proportions; many call it their favorite facade in the district.
5. Scholastic Building
A contemporary insertion that nods to SoHo’s past—its disciplined grid, materials, and scale converse with surrounding 19th‑century lofts.
✓ Why Go:
A smart case study in contextual modernism, showing how new architecture can respect and refresh a historic streetscape.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Midday, when the facade’s planes read crisply against neighboring cast‑iron buildings.
✓ Insider Tip:
Compare sill heights, bay widths, and cornice lines with adjacent buildings to see how the design riffs on history.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Design lovers applaud its restraint and dialogue with context; many find it a gateway to reading SoHo’s fabric.
6. Judd Foundation
Donald Judd’s former home and studio occupies a classic cast‑iron corner loft. The building’s generous windows and slender columns reveal the structural logic of SoHo’s iron era.
✓ Why Go:
It bridges art and architecture—minimalist ideas housed in a prototypical cast‑iron shell.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Morning, when Spring Street is calmer and the facade glows softly.
✓ Insider Tip:
Study how the wide window bays maximize light and how the corner pilasters articulate the junction of two elevations.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Architecture and art fans regard it as a quiet landmark; many note the dignity of its unaltered exterior.
7. The Drawing Center
An intimate museum set within a restored industrial loft, where exposed columns and high ceilings provide a serene backdrop for contemporary exhibitions.
✓ Why Go:
A thoughtful example of adaptive reuse—historic bones serving new cultural life.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Midweek afternoons for unhurried gallery time and quiet architectural observation.
✓ Insider Tip:
Look for original column capitals and floor patterns that reveal the building’s working‑loft past.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Guests praise the light, intimacy, and sense of calm; some call it a hidden gem amid SoHo’s bustle.
8. The New York Earth Room
Walter De Maria’s long‑term installation fills a SoHo loft with a vast plane of earth—an unforgettable spatial experience framed by an old industrial shell.
✓ Why Go:
It heightens awareness of volume, material, and stillness—core concerns for architects and designers.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Late afternoon for a contemplative mood and softer interior light.
✓ Insider Tip:
Afterward, step outside to contrast the installation’s serenity with Wooster Street’s textured cast‑iron facades.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Often described as meditative and mind‑expanding; skeptics become converts after experiencing the space.
9. The Broken Kilometer
Five hundred polished brass rods aligned in perfect rows transform a loft into a study of scale, perspective, and precision.
✓ Why Go:
A masterclass in proportion and sightlines, sharpened by the clarity of SoHo’s industrial architecture.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Early evening, when the gallery is quiet and focus comes easily.
✓ Insider Tip:
Walk slowly toward the barrier to feel the optical compression; then note how the loft’s structure frames the work.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Visitors call it austere yet powerful; many rate it a must‑see pairing with the Earth Room.
10. Subway Map Floating on a New York Sidewalk
A stainless‑steel subway map embedded in the pavement creates a playful, site‑specific layer of information design along Greene Street.
✓ Why Go:
It links urban infrastructure with streetscape and public art—prime material for architecture and city‑planning enthusiasts.
✓ Best Time to Visit:
Daylight to read the details; return after dusk if illuminated for a different effect.
✓ Insider Tip:
Walk the full block to understand the piece’s scale and how it interacts with building entries and stoops.
✓ What Visitors Say:
Passersby love the surprise discovery; design fans praise its wit and integration into everyday city life.
