Online April Member Meeting and Presentation

Thursday, April 15, 2021, at 7 PM

1.5 LU


The Architects League of Northern New Jersey invites you to our April membership meeting and online presentation provided by Untapped New York
Join us and Untapped New York’s Chief Experience Officer Justin Rivers to explore the fascinating story of its construction, sharing tales of its marvelous debut at the World’s Fair, and examining the theories of what brought about the building’s demise.


Learning Objectives:

  1. Architectural inspiration behind New York’s Crystal Palace along with the greater aspirations the world had for rapidly building grand structures using iron and glass (and why it would never quite work).
  2. How the architects of the Crystal Palace had designed a specific building for a specific site in the shadow of a much larger and formidable predecessor. Their innovation to work within the imposed confines would set the tone for all New York architecture to follow.
  3. How New York’s 19th century urban development, mainly the Commissioners Plan of 1811 both stymied and called for creative solutions for building the Crystal Palace (and the Latting Observatory next store).
  4. How other grand New York City structures went on to directly and indirectly mimic the original Crystal Palace design creating a long legacy of buildings that would become synonymous with New York City architecture.
  5. Bonus: Quick survey of other competing New York City structures (mainly cultural venues) standing at the time. 

Justin Rivers is Untapped New York’s Chief Experience Officer. He is a writer and interpretive historian whose work focuses on inspiring empowerment through storytelling in non-traditional settings. As a playwright, tour guide, and educator, his work is designed to help New Yorkers contextualize and rediscover their city by exploring the past, present, and future of its diverse infrastructure. Justin’s Off Broadway play, The Eternal Space explored an unlikely friendship that arose from Penn Station’s demolition and enjoyed a successful six-week run at Theatre Row Studios in 2015. He is author and co-collaborator of The Wonder City, a graphic novel that re-imagines the history of New York City.  


This 1 LU (pending) webinar will be presented via Zoom. Please participate in this meeting and continuing education presentation from the safety of your home or office.

Check your email to register

Register by 1:00 PM on Monday, April 12
to receive your unique Zoom link. Space may be limited,
so register early to guarantee your spot.