Perhaps my favorite aspect of the different types of layers in New York City are the literal layers – from the skyscrapers, to the busy streets, to the underground subway. The subway, a feature that is many decades old but always being improved upon, rattles through the city above it constantly. When visiting Joe’s Pub, the subway shook the room during the readings, creating a layered experience that is unique to New York. I also love how the subway stations themselves often have an ‘art-deco,’ tiled look to them – a reminder that these subways are an ideal of the past that sustain the New York Citizens of today. The MTA has seen many generations of passengers and will see many more, and I feel that it’s one of the best examples of palimpsest found in New York.
Looking upwards can provide a similar effect though, as the densely layered buildings each tell a story of their own. From the short brownstones, to the modern skyscrapers, each offers an impression of the time it was built. The Empire State building, a New York staple, sports the art-deco look of its era and the styles that were popular at the time. The New York Public Library embodies the academic ideals of the early 1900’s. More modern examples, such as the One World Trade Center, show New York’s determination to come back stronger after a tragedy. All of these examples create the varied atmosphere of New York in different ways. Something I find very interesting is when a modern business occupies an older building – such as seeing the Starbucks logo hanging off of intricate buildings from the thirties and forties. This really highlights the way that New York keeps traces of the past everywhere, and overlays the present on what is already built. Perhaps that is what makes the city feel somewhat magical, having little reminders of the past dreamers imbued in everything around you.