An Introduction

Metal to masonry; slate to stucco; brick to brownstone; copper to concrete. New York City’s built environment is constructed from a wide variety of materials both functional and decorative.

In this virtual architectural survey, preservation architect Dan Allen will highlight materials commonly used in historic structures on the Upper East Side and beyond. As we become familiar with these building blocks of our built environment, we’ll discover how to identify the myriad materials we see around us, find out how these materials inform the designs of the buildings around us, and learn how conservationists maintain the materials that make up New York.