Cooper Union Foundation Building

1859

Architect: Fred A. Petersen
Address: 7 E. 7th St, Manhattan
A absolute gem of a mid-19th century brownstone structure, Cooper Union's Foundation Building has been anchoring Cooper Square and Astor Place for over a hundred and fifty years, long before the skate punks descended upon it. There's wonderful detail on all four sides of this rectangular masterpiece, including a backlit clock on the south side and the pictured glass-ceilinged attics on the northwest side. Its baby brother, 41 Cooper Square, designed by Thom Mayne of Morphosis, complements the Foundation Building with postmodern grace.