At UPco, our team is passionate about the built environment, and we love experiencing beautiful architecture in real life. We all have our favourite buildings – and this month, Senior Associate Kate Foldi shared with us why NYC’s Flatiron Building occupies such a special place in her heart.

Can you tell us a bit about the building you’ve chosen, Kate?

New York City has to be my favourite city in the world, and it’s defined by its iconic architecture. Over the course of history, many memorable structures have claimed a place in NYC’s streets – but in my mind, none is quite as striking as the Flatiron Building, which sits in a commanding position on Fifth Avenue. Completed back in 1902, it’s one of the city’s oldest surviving skyscrapers.

If you know of the building, you’ll know of its unusual wedge shape: sitting on a tight triangular block, the 22-storey structure is just 2 metres wide at its narrowest point, hence its moniker (which refers to the shape of the clothing irons used at the turn of the century). Designed by Daniel Burnham (who is better known for his architectural work in Chicago), the Flatiron Building features a steel skeleton and has been constructed in three horizontal sections, and it’s a prime example of the Beaux-Arts Classicist movement.

Have you visited the Flatiron Building in person?

Oh yes. I stumbled on it the first time I visited New York in 2004. We were staying in midtown, and I clearly remember the moment I set eyes on it while walking through the streets. It just hits you! I had never even heard of it before, which is a bit embarrassing for a planner! But there was something special about my first impression being in person; it meant I could really experience the building without preconceptions or expectations. I’ve still never been inside – it’s always been a private office building – but plans are currently underway to convert the Flatiron into apartments, with retail at ground level. So maybe next time I visit I can tick that off my bucket list!

What do you love about the building?

What really struck me about the Flatiron was its intensity. It’s so beautiful from an architectural perspective, and a real illustration of how no expense was spared with these older buildings. The intricacy, the grain, the finer detail – it captured my imagination from the beginning. The sharp simplicity of it is just genius. It makes such a statement.

Why does the Flatiron Building interest you from a planning perspective?

I like the way it uses the site, fanning out from that ultra-narrow frontage. It really maxes out every inch of available space, espousing all the urban design principles that we aim for in our own work, with its hard edges and activation of the street.

One thing that’s unusual about the Flatiron – and other buildings on Fifth Avenue – is the fact there’s no canopy at the street level: it’s just unapologetically straight up and down. Here in Melbourne, we’re so focused on providing weather protection at a pedestrian level. It’s ironic that the Flatiron’s designers didn’t feel that obligation, even though NYC weather is far more extreme! But it’s a reminder that sometimes, a building’s magnificence makes enough of a contribution to a city scape, in and of itself. And the Flatiron Building is nothing if not magnificent.

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