Tours Details
Dates: Every Wednesday
Start time: 10am EST
Duration: 2 hours (~30min walking)
Meeting Point: Grand Central Terminal
End Point: United Nations
Participants limit: 10
Midtown East Art and Architecture Tour
Explore the architectural gems of East Manhattan with Build Tours, where New York’s history and innovation come alive through iconic buildings and compelling stories. This tour takes you through some of the most legendary sites in the city, from the grandeur of Grand Central Terminal and the classic Art Deco elegance of the Waldorf Astoria to the cutting-edge design of One Vanderbilt. Discover the soaring Art Deco style of the Chrysler Building, the pioneering green architecture of the Ford Foundation, and the international modernist vision of the United Nations complex. As you walk through each landmark, you’ll uncover the architectural styles, influential architects, and historical events that have shaped East Manhattan into a world-renowned urban landscape. Join us to experience the fusion of art, history, and architecture that defines New York City’s eastern heart.
Important buildings featured:
Grand Central Terminal, Reed and Stem and Warren and Wetmore, 1913
One Vanderbilt, KPF, 2016-20
MetLife Building, Architects Collaborative, 1962
Helmsley Building, Warren and Wetmore, 1929
JP Morgan Chase, Norman Foster, 2025
Waldorf Astoria, Schultze and Weaver, 1931
St. Bartholomew’s Church, Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue, 1919
Chrysler Building, William van Alen, 1930
Ford Foundation, Roche Dinkeloo, 1967
Tudor City, Fred French & Co.,1928
United Nations complex, Oscar Niemeyer, Le Corbusier, 1948
Languages:
Public tours and in English.
Grand Central Terminal
Your Architect Guides
Ivan R. Shumkov, PhD
Dr. Ivan Shumkov is a New York based architect, urban planner, entrepreneur, and professor with more than 20 years of experience across the private, public, and academic sectors. He is the founder of Build World and Build Academy, organizations dedicated to providing professional solutions and education for the built environment.
Ivan combines his experience of practicing and teaching architecture with his passion for discovering and sharing the history and secrets of New York. His tours provoke curiosity, show hidden urban gems, and provide opportunities for experiencing and understanding art and architecture in a unique way. He helps his guests to see and connect the city through the eyes of an architect. They are activated and transformed by these immersive experiences and view the city in a new way.
Ivan is a licensed NYC tour guide. Being fluent in multiple languages, he can conduct tours in English, Spanish, Catalan, Bulgarian, French and Italian.
Dr. Afshan Bokhari grew up in Queens, NY and is a New York based art and architectural historian with more than 15 years of experience across the private, public, and academic sectors. She is a member of Build World and Build Academy, organizations dedicated to providing professional solutions and education for the built environment.
Afshan combines her experience of teaching art and architectural history with her passion for discovering and sharing the history and secrets of her hometown. Her fun and enlightening tours not only consider the architecture but also any sculptural details on the building. She reveals the hidden urban gems along the way and creates a unique and not boilerplate understanding of New York City’s history and its built environment. Afshan encourages questions and thoughtfully answers queries. She makes sure to cultivate a compelling and creative “lens” for the guests to use after the tour to gain a deeper understanding of the greatest city in the world.
Afshan is a licensed NYC tour guide and fluent in Urdu, Hindi and functional Japanese.
Semi-Private Walking Tour
You’ll expperience NY with a small group of up to 10 other Art and Architecture professinals, enthusiasts and lovers.
Exclusive Private Tour
You’ll experience NY by yourself or with a group of your family, freinds and colleagues. Call or email us to customize your tour experience.
Experience New York with our PhD Architect-led Tours
Our public tours are 2 hours of transformational experiences that connect people with the city on a deeper level. We focus on 8 areas according to the location, neighborhood and their distinct character - weaving culture, history, architecture, art and design in an engaging, story-telling manner to uncover some of the city’s hidden gems and best-kept secrets.
