Architect Breaks Down 5 of the Most Common New York Apartments | Architectural Digest

Michael Wyetzner of Michielli + Wyetzner Architects returns to AD, this time breaking down five of the most common apartment types found in New York City. From long and narrow railroad-style abodes to stately multi-level brownstones and everything in between, Michael gives expert insight on the many different places you can call home in the big apple.
Director: Morgan Crossley
Director of Photography: Eric Brouse
Editor: Estan Esparza
Host: Michael Wyetzner
Senior Producer: Alyssa Marino
Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi
Associate Producer: Landrie Hatcher
Production Manager: Melissa Heber
Production Coordinator: Julie Suronen & Fernando DAvila
Camera Operator: Colton Huynh
Sound Mixer: Gabe Quiroga
Production Assistant: Christina Lamagna
Post Production Supervisor: Nick Ascanio
Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant
Supervising Editor: Doug Larson
Assistant Editor: Andy Morell
Archive Credits: Artist Studio Loft image courtesy of Edmund Vincent Gillon Museum of the City of New York.
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[@Archdigest]

Looking for the pen Michael Wyetzner uses? Pentel Sign Pens Fine Point 2.0 mm (Pack of 12): amzn.to/3zVvVdt

[@kitgenz1114]

But he's holding a Lamy!

[@commentymccommenterson4567]

I was wondering why the pen was prominently featured in the video. After this pinned comment, I get it.

[@ellie-tk4jy]

Can this guy do London houses please?

[@marigeobrien]

Great video except... I'm disappointed he didn't go into the details of a brownstone's interior layout.

[@hookbeak2321]

Back in 1988 I worked & lived at 38W 88th St. Columbus Ave it's the Internation Student Centre in NYC. You only mentioned one basement, there was actually two. N.Y.C & Madrid are 43-45 degrees latitude it was so hot aircon was poor. We used to buy some ice cold Rolling Rock & climb the ladder, to the roof listen to the "hum of the traffic" & fall asleep up there.

[@maverickdab]

I really love the way you pointed out "WHY" there was change in design, yet also explained why the change you see today.

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

The "Why" is because they planners decided to make everything ugly and inhuman because they hate beauty and us. It's all a scam.

[@Karlach_]

same

[@swagaintafag]

Really enjoyed this episode as it touched base on the evolution of architecture in New York and the motivation behind the different architectures, which is something most people do not consider or appreciate.

[@YahyaHautamaki]

Yes, what a treat

[@richardotarmadjaja4796]

NYC is very rich in architecture. Very informative. More like this please

[@misssue09]

Agreed! Do Chicago next!

[@ObamaFromKenya]

@@misssue09 does Chicago have brownstones 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@chatapratt7680]

@@ObamaFromKenya yes very many

[@TennSeven]

I lived in NY for about ten years, and I laughed when you mentioned the "ample heat." It's quite common to look up and see apartment windows open during the coldest days of winter because the older, steam-heated apartments have two settings for the heat: off, and fiery depths of Hell.

[@nataliaalfonso2662]

It’s to help stop the spread of disease during influenza season. People can stay warm while having fresh air circulating

[@damara8729]

As both a new yorker and a lover of architecture, this is genuinely one of my favorite videos AD has ever produced. What a wonderful guest- I could listen to him for hours.

[@vdussaut9182]

“I could listen to him for hours” were my exact thoughts as well. Such a pleasant, engaging voice and fascinating subject.

[@Supermediya]

👍👍👍👍

[@blenderguru]

Imagine living in a single closed bedroom with your entire family AND having 3 other families walk through your room to get to theirs. We have it so good😭

[@iHelpSolveIt]

Was common in England where this design originally is from as are many of them including the brownstones which look identical to the houses in Chelsea, London, UK

[@walterquick8649]

Navy ships have 80 folks you walk thru

[@BizzeeB]

If you're in the city, you can go to the Tenement Museum and actually see restored apartments like those in the B/W photos. And yeah, it must have been rough living...

[@zaxmaxlax]

This was the least of their problems, imagine wanting to poo in the middle of the night in the winter.

[@LauraKnotek]

@@zaxmaxlax That was probably the case for most working class folks at the time. I've heard that some working class people in the Black Country, UK had outside toilets even in the 1960s.

[@nyloves0216]

Loved every minute of this video, I remember a teacher saying if you know what you’re teaching it’s never complicated. Anyone that complicates a subject doesn’t know it. This was fantastic……

[@cameliap1146]

" Ce que l'on conçoit bien s'enonce clairement. Et les mots pour le dire arrivent aisement" Nicolas Boileau

[@VolcardoReviewer]

Some things are complex. Not everything is easily digestible.

[@JacyndaMinor]

“ if you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough. “ was always one of my favorite quotes.

[@kennedyismyhero]

I’ve said it once, I’ll say it a +100x ….if this guy writes a book, or starts a channel with longer deep dives on each building styles? I’ll subscribe or buy a book, whatever. He articulates SO well a topic I never knew I was so fascinated by.

[@simonkaplan315]

same.

[@zoe4388]

I loooove that he addresses the way class and wealth play into each of these apartment types and neighborhoods! Wasn't expecting that as my assumption is usually that architects have wealth themselves and may not care about everyone else. Great video :)

[@danielgregg2530]

If architects don't design for everybody, then who else would?

[@craighunt5426]

Most Architects are NOT wealthy. Not like Doctors or lawyers, not even close. It's a noble profession but one of the lowest paying professions that require a 4 year college degree. I know video game artists that make more than registered architects.

[@ProHomeCooks]

This is incredible. After living in NYC for 10 years its so cool to learn the history behind all these types of buildings I lived in over the years!

[@BradThePitts]

WOW in 10 years you've lived in a railroad apartment, a classic 6, a Brownstone, AND a loft? You sure get around! Did you get your security deposits back? 😆

[@patricklee7241]

I hear you. I was born and raised in NYC since the 70s and there is not a shortage of history to learn!

[@ivermectin1974]

@@BradThePitts yea it’s called squatting. Lol

[@CinCee-]

Go home

[@YanekChe]

Dang, I'm living in a same Brooklyn apartment for 11 years already

[@nicolerichards5122]

So much important history in such a short video! Michael is so smart-- would love to see him discuss more about NYC architecture!

[@le_th_]

That's acquired knowledge...i.e. it was taught to him and learned via the discipline. It's different from being inherently (read: genetically) "smart" or intelligent. You can be both, or have one or the other, but acquired knowledge from the study of architecture, or any discipline, is different from being "smart" or intelligent.

[@Lucy-cl2qk]

@@le_th_ you must be fun at parties

[@blaiseducdaumont1280]

@@le_th_ ... are you Eastern European?

[@Trudloops]

😂 These comments crack me up.

[@keysersoze3777]

@@Lucy-cl2qk 🤣

[@cinemaocd1752]

This was so interesting. I always heard these terms thrown around but never really knew what they meant. The origin of "stoop" being Dutch makes a lot of sense, because it's a weirdly specific New York City word. I had no idea the origin of "studio apartment" was so fancy! I think the pattern of artists going into an industrial area, living like pioneers, building something special only to be victims of their own success when they are priced out of the neighborhood, has repeated itself all around the world.

[@stephans1990]

The Dutch word stoep means "sidewalk" and not stairs.

[@chuckschillingvideos]

The term is not specific to New York City at all. In fact, I'd say it's most widely used (both as a term and as a sitting perch) in Baltimore and probably in Philadelphia as well.

[@oasean]

@@stephans1990: This term _stoop_ does not mean simply "stairs" either. It indicates the stairs in front of a building's main entrance. Sitting on the stoop, you're virtually sitting on the sidewalk.

[@danielgregg2530]

I've heard it all my life and have never lived in the northeast.

[@prot07ype87]

And it's written as "stoep".

[@totalwomanja9105]

This is absolutely fascinating! When visiting NYC, I see many of theses buildings in specific areas and to have a their historical context laid out in this video is quite mind blowing. I love this video. Excellent content. I really appreciate it.

[@somerandomchannel382]

3:05 - instead of alleyways, get a recycling spot. where you put trashcans into containers. the garage is stored in sheltered containers instead of on the street like this.

[@onemillionpercent]

exactly, it puts what you see in a much more knowledgeable perspective

[@frednugent2310]

You answered what I was going to say. I find it fascinating.

[@FAHRi812.]

👍👍

[@EmbroiderytechnicalRahul]

Okay 1:16

[@elmike-o5290]

It’s this guy again. This guy needs to have his own show. I would watch it all the time.

[@eattherich9215]

He does have his own show right here on youtube.

[@nmontes9498]

I would love to see this done for other cities as a series! Philadelphia, San Francisco, Chicago, Boston. Would be super cool and interesting.

[@viceroyfujibatten3609]

New Orleans as well

[@m.martinez982]

Yes!

[@gubijunior]

or Cities outside of the U.S. London, Paris, Hong Kong, Kairo ..... there are so many interesting cities to choose from.

[@ExcitedPunch]

Plus one for SF, PLEASE!

[@mtv4]

Totally agree!! Video was great

[@iamme50]

This was extremely informative and insightful. I was born in the Bronx in the early 80s and can remember some distinctive looks and feel of the buildings in New York. Great video.

[@bronzebomber814]

Kudos to this gentleman for so eloquently stating the issues with public housing

[@cupriferouscatalyst3708]

It makes me sad realizing that there was a period in time (however brief in the grand scheme of things) when artists were taken so much more seriously than both before and after. Here in Sweden there was even the concept of "artist's pay" during much of the past century, which meant that artists could receive basic income simply for being an artist, as long as they went to speak with the proper authority and could prove that they were regularly producing art and that there was some sort of public interest in their works.

[@advancedchiropractic667]

Umm I like todays. If you are good, you are paid by customers. I do not believe in subsidizing.

[@thegoodgeneral]

@@advancedchiropractic667 I am also typically not a fan of subsidizing, but plenty of really good artists go unpaid, or pay the bills with different work entirely. I hope you are not sincerely that obtuse.

[@T1hitsTheHighestNote]

@@advancedchiropractic667 Exactly. If you are just starting out, you do it on the side of a regular job. If/when you become successful, you can go full time with the art. Like every musician have to do.

[@Mscupcakeforever21]

still exists in France...

[@T1hitsTheHighestNote]

@@thegoodgeneral It's a sign of entitlement to think you don't have to pull your own weight, if you are able. That the tax payers should pay for you. At least get yourself a whealty patron to pay for your upkeep.

[@bunkie2100]

My wife and I lived in a studio for over 20 years. As New Yorkers, we engaged in that favorite competitive sport, tracking real estate (both for sale and rentals). One day an ad appeared listing one of the studios in our line for sale, describing it as being "420 square feet". This surprised me so I got out my tape measure and measured every square inch of our apartment and calculated the actual square footage. This led me to the conclusion that in addition to both English and Metric measurements, there is a "Manhattan Real Estate Measurement". Specifically, according to my calculation, a Manhattan Square Foot is approximately 9 inches by 9 inches.

[@vincentgoupil180]

hey, Four different types of square footage, Gross Square Footage - total sq.ft. Net Square Footage - GSF minus walls, mechanical room, etc. Net Assignable Square Footage - NSF minus footage not for purpose of the space. Net Cleanable Square Footage - area that needs to be cleaned. Probably, landlord is stating the Gross Square Footage from middle of wall to middle of wall between the exterior walls. Some include the patio space, fire escape, etc.. While the tenant at best is using Net Square Footage. Basements although unlivable are included in Gross Square Footage. There's other terminology that almost makes a used car salesman look human in comparison.

[@firesurfer]

@@vincentgoupil180 You forget that many just boldface makeup numbers. Otherwise known as liers.

[@jameshaulenbeek5931]

The house I live in has a "mud room" on the back - tacked together, very poorly built, and not connected to the HVAC system (rain runs in across the old concrete patio under the floor). While local laws require all reportable/livable square footage to be conditioned spaces, my landlord counts that sizable, dank, musty space as part of the livable square footage on the property listing, but the lease says to "use at your own risk". He also has the property listed with a storage building behind the house, but the lease agreement also states the building is "use at your own risk" because the roof has caved in and the walls are starting to buckle.

[@mjinba07]

@@firesurfer Liar liar pants on fire. I wonder how many landlords take this approach because a certain number of prospects viewing the space will think, I can make it work anyway. And I'd question whether the price per actual square foot measures up to the local standard or is the value reflecting an inflated number.

[@firesurfer]

@@mjinba07 Real Estate is based on what people will pay. So it doesn't matter anyway. Buyer beware.

[@sky68d56]

Could you do a video depicting architecture from the different boroughs of NYC?

[@TimPerfetto]

No he is too old and has clearly eaten all of his hair

[@gabetalks9275]

Brownstone does exist all across the city, but Idk about the other types of building that he mentioned here.

[@whocares12345]

Would be really cool to see a video on the architecture of NYC housing projects.

[@issbelvillastella5063]

why? do you like decay,rats,garbage,feces?

[@pjrt_tv]

I've seen 3br apts with 2 baths in NYC where the smallest room had the dedicated bathroom. It didn't make sense to me but now I get it: it was the maid's room.

[@chrisd725]

And did you see how the maid's bedroom led directly into the kitchen.

[@OscarUnrated]

It’s kind of a nice compromise with roommates. You can choose the bigger room or you can choose to have your own bathroom

[@davidhudson3001]

@@ericalorraine7943lookup Priscilla Dearmin-Turner, this is her name online, she's the real investment prodigy since the crash and have help me recovered my loses

[@lezliewhicker8450]

Despite the economic crisis and the rate of unemployment now is the best time to invest

[@petermusa5396]

Investment now will be wise but the truth is investing on your own will be a high risk. I think it will be best to get a professional👌

[@BS-vx8dg]

I'm a small town boy living on an acre with chickens in the backyard, so this is as far away from my world as I can imagine. And I found it fascinating, explaining terms that I've heard on TV and in the movies for over 50 years without understanding. Thank you so much.

[@virtuallyjacob]

💚

[@eoiny]

Michael Wyetzner seems like a very likeable person. I imagine people enjoy spending time with him.

[@samboescondido5609]

This guy is a freaking WEALTH of knowledge

[@BayaanAnsarithegirlwiththechin]

I really appreciate how he approached the changes of New York being caused by gentrification rather than just "things progressing". Humanizing and including marginalized people and financial insecurities in the conversation of housing is so important!

[@lidiapietrusza5014]

Totally agree

[@simongamez]

True, I was surprised by that!

[@lavender1rose]

@Phr34ky PHY I don't understand your point about Japan not having these problems? Can you explain?

[@kunal9545]

@Phr34ky PHY lol Japan also doesn’t really care about immigration from other parts of the world. Ergo their declining population problem 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@yoink4180]

@Phr34ky PHY Homelessness exists in Japan. So does starvation.

[@doubledutchclutch]

This man just taught me everything I've ever wanted to learn about residential architecture in NYC. Thanks, Mr. Weytzner!

[@apparentlydesign7712]

Meanwhile college is a joke

[@MichaelC1998x]

I learned so much about NYC that i never new before after many visits just from the first 3 minutes of this video!

[@frankiethefish73]

I went to architecture school about 30 years ago and this presentation reminds me about how much enjoyment I received from listening to a good architectural history professor.

[@Platypi007]

Mr Wyentzner is such a great presenter, and it's clear that he cares a lot about historic New York architecture and the people who have lived in it! Hearing about the technological innovations and social situations that lead to these different styles was extremely interesting and captivating, thank you!

[@cinikcynic3087]

I learned so much from this video

[@damondominique]

More. We want more of these. ❤️

[@barbaraploetz1004]

Yes, more- we want more 👍

[@GolayaPravda]

This is just such a well made video all around. Informative without any fluff just straight to the point, graphics and photos perfectly illustrating narration. It's 16 minutes long yet felt like 5 because of how well paced and clearly presented it is. KZbin randomly suggested it to me and I enjoyed every second of it. It should be a standard for educational videos under 20 minutes.

[@garlicgirl3149]

But what about people that like longer videos? 😁

[@miahannah2580]

Who is the architect he’s amazing at explaining this in such an interesting way

[@blacknova5939]

it says in the desc

[@ValkyrieTiara]

@@blacknova5939 Hell, it's literally the first words of the video after "Hi", shown on screen and everything lmao

[@blacknova5939]

@@ValkyrieTiara yes lol

[@heard3879]

Michael Wyetzner

[@13donstalos]

It's a mystery that'll probably never be solved.

[@margaretmojica8190]

I have been noticing the layout of houses since I was 8 years old. I could draw you a floor plan of every house my friends lived in when I was a child. I loved this presentation. Thank you

[@marlenegold280]

Funny, I can too.

[@ImNotaRussianBot]

I did that with cars. Memorized car headlights. And could tell you the make, model, and approximate year of every oncoming car in the dark. Weird skill I have since lost since so many newer cars are out.

[@awdadwadwad1723]

And now you are an architect?

[@arne8158]

@@awdadwadwad1723 Professional KZbin commenter.

[@bettywhite8407]

Sounds as though you 're a builder.

[@Splitleaf]

I love my railroad apartment, I’m the third floor, it’s so fun to decorate and such a unique living style, you can see in my floors the indent of the most popular path that people have used. Original floors from the early 1900s! so it really feels magical to think of all the people who have lived in it since.

[@gabriellekelly3141]

wait that’s so charming!!

[@john-paulderosa7217]

I love old buildings too. Think what it must be like to live in England where 400 year old houses are not uncommon.

[@deeice5398]

@@gabriellekelly3141 To her it is. I also find old apts very interesting too. Such a shame you have to post such an obnoxious comment.

[@zari2662]

@@deeice5398 you misread that person's comment. They were paying a compliment

[@aimee-lynndonovan6077]

Hey I live on the third floor in a Queen Anne Victorian in Maine! Nice view.

[@karonmalingo5798]

Michael Wyetzner, you did a wonderful job with this apartment breakdown. Watching it once was not enough. Thank you and cheers.

[@aware5248]

I love this! I appreciate you pointing out systematic issues surrounding funding which impacted how housing projects are not cared for. I also appreciate you pointing out that housing projects receive a bad reputation. A place and space that was built for the working-class people of NYC.

[@kawasumiimaii]

I really want to see one of these breakdowns for each major city across the world. This was fascinating

[@wwaxwork]

OH I'd love to see one on Chicago.

[@nekodromeda]

Same! I'd love to see a video on Boston and the surrounding cities.

[@DejaRobinson]

As a current NYC resident, this was very informative! I always wondered what was the logic behind most of these weird NYC apartments haha

[@suqarBoomBoom]

New Yorker here as well and yes, some of these apt layouts kill me, especially for the price! I personally feel the worst are the railroad apts, the middle rooms never have any natural light. Plus it a nightmare when you have roommates, there’s no privacy. Funny enough I have a friend on the LES who’s apt still has the tub in the kitchen and the toilet just has its own little room. It’s so odd, who wants to shower by their stove lol. He only took it because it’s rent stabilized lmao.

[@DejaRobinson]

@@suqarBoomBoom Wow! IT was terrible living back then, like the video shows, and terrible living now! 🤣

[@aimee-lynndonovan6077]

Some still seem like hell! Imagine 3 bedrooms nowadays. Our first apt was in a 4 floor walk up in West New York, N J . Talk about tiny.🙄great area.

[@WolfA4]

@@suqarBoomBoom My grandma's building was a dumbbell tenement what they did was split the apartment up into smaller 1-2 bedroom apartments and just added the kitchens and bathroom where they could. The building even had an old shaft in the hallway that was used to throw trash down. The bathroom was tiny, just the width of a bathtub and toilet right next to it and didn't have an actual shower.

[@jacquesmulder8041]

Then you can imagine how interesting it was for me from South Africa

[@stephanvanlunenburg4930]

stoop comes from the Dutch stoep, which does not mean a staircase. it has two meanings. in the first place it means a slightly higher part of the road intended for pedestrians. in addition, a raised entrance to a front door is also called a "stoep". this can be with a staircase, for example but that could also be done with a slope

[@schchris1]

South African English and Afrikaans a Stoep is what US call a Veranda, I notice Dutch call a Veranda a Veranda that correct?

[@stephanvanlunenburg4930]

@@schchris1 in Dutch, A veranda is an extension to a house, usually just a roof supported on wooden posts. The floor can be the existing floor, but usually it is a wooden floor that is flush with the floor height indoors.

[@QnA22]

The origin is apparently in the colonial era. The homes of the wealthy could be entered via the stoep(stoop). It was a raised area compared to the (filthy) street. To enter the house one or more stoeps(stoops) or raised areas had to be passed. Initially, only a few stoops were used, but the wealthier the family, the more grandiose the stoop became. And thus ended up being elaborate stoops. Quite a cool history and historically fascinating word.

[@Mishef-3832]

@@stephanvanlunenburg4930 Interestingly enough, the Russian language also has the word veranda (веранда). It means an unheated extension to a private house or summer cottage. Typically, this has a wooden floor, roof, thin waist-high walls, and glazed top of the walls. Something like a Florida room. According to one of the versions, this word is derived from Bengali «baranda» - gallery.

[@sydmccreath4554]

@@Mishef-3832 In Britain “Veranda’ came from the British Raj when the Empire was on the go. I think the word entered our language that way and then spread to other English speaking parts of the world (USA etc). We still use the INDIAN words: Pukka, Thug, Pyjamas, Avatar, Cashmere, Bungalow, Cot, Loot, Yoga, Typhoon, blimey there’s loads I haven’t even mentioned. Most British people don’t have the foggiest where these words originated.

[@KarahChristian]

I love learning the history of architecture for different cities. This man is very interesting and easy going, laid back. A great video of knowledge. ❤ We have a lot of this same architecture in Birmingham, Alabama.

[@ScottysHaze]

Imagine comparing NYC to Birmingham lol. Derp. 🤦🏻‍♂️🤣

[@KarahChristian]

@@ScottysHaze I did not compare. I said we have a lot of this same architecture. Take your insecurities elsewhere.

[@MM-vv8mt]

I also lived in a classic six on Clairmont Ave up by Barnard College and Columbia U on the top floor, and during the summer, it was brutally hot because of convection from the tar roof. I eventually noticed that the big clamshell windows in the living room and all the transoms had been painted over, and so one day I took a utility knife and opened all the transoms, and then the big windows. As soon as I opened them, the apartment cooled off by 30 degrees and a beautiful cool steady top-gallant breeze began blowing through the entire apartment. Pro tip: if you live in such an apartment with painted over transoms and windows, open them up!

[@vincentgoupil180]

Good advice. The continuous hallway from the front to the rear of the building was designed to be a breezeway. Before air conditioning buildings were designed for cross ventilation both horizontally and vertically. Nowadays with apartments being subdivided into smaller and smaller units blocking any ventilation they must be sweat boxes. The Venturi Effect, similiar to use in a car carburetor, is to have a larger window or opening low on a wall in a room (could even be vents on the floor if a crawlspace is underneath) and a smaller opening higher up on the opposite wall. As hot rises through the higher opening because of the smaller area it is speeded up and a strong draft is created. It helps to have casement windows pivoting at its center to direct the airflow.

[@juliadiscenza3217]

I went to college there and always admired those beautiful apartments! I’m surprised to hear they were still maintained as “classic sixes”. I would have thought landlords would want to subdivide them into more smaller units.

[@issbelvillastella5063]

so you destroyed an apartment that was not yours.Typically a hick´s attitude.

[@lauramitchell6725]

Mm : I once heard the expression “that transom windows were the lungs of the building.”

[@zuazhar1630]

My mother’s family moved from the South in the early 1900s. My mother was raised in railroad apartments. Her wealthier aunt and uncle lived in the 7 room apartment, set up exactly as I remembered it. The kitchen was in the rear overlooking the back to gardens between the houses. There was a small maids room right off the kitchen with a bathroom. The family lived in the front rooms overlooking the street.

[@avalonhester4539]

There is a book called Wayward Lives, Beautiful Experiments which follows the history of women like your grandmother who moved from the South to Manhattan in the 1900s. You might really enjoy it. It’s imaginative history as much documented family history was lost.

[@rodm7850]

I grew up in the housing projects in Bklyn. I don't know why I click on this but I did...and I am glad. This was VERY educational. Thank you for your work. You have gained a new subscriber.

[@samgarayar498]

Excellent video, very clear and informative

[@luisacuellar3873]

I love it. I’m wondering if he can do the boroughs. Houses in each borough is interesting.

[@Davett53]

It alarms me that I have known artists who rented a "sleeping space", beneath the floor of a loft apartment. The loft suite had really tall ceilings, so along the way a crawl space beneath the floor was created. It was only 5 foot tall,.....to gain access to it, there was 4 steps down. The dweller of such a room couldn't even stand up in it. They would have to move about their sleeping space on their knees. The larges rooms above it, have actual windows, in their floors, to allow for some (natural) light to penetrate into the crawl-space, sleeping room. That "crawl-space" bedroom rented for a high amount of money. The dweller of that bedroom was allowed to share the bathroom & kitchen of the larger loft space above it. Madness!

[@UncleJimsBand]

This is wild. I've seen interstitial crawlspaces like this in Argento's Giallo, as elements of horror, but I did not know it was a real thing.

[@paulrosa6173]

Sounds like the super expensive over crowding of Hong Kong real estate.

[@Davett53]

Somewhere in my files is a photo of the clear plexiglass panels in the floors of the "loft space", with views into the "crawl space" sleeping quarters. I'm an artist and I know the friend & fellow artist of the person who rented the crawl space. With only minimal light coming in through the windows in the floor, there was also lighting down there as well. The occupant would move about in that space on their knees. There was a bed, a night stand, a small TV, and a computer connection.

[@kyle6282]

this sounds like being john malkovich lol

[@Davett53]

@@kyle6282 I wish this page had a way to post photos. I knew the friend of the artist who rented that "below the floor" room, and I have a photo of it.

[@fallion2012]

Absolutely LOVED this. Fascinating explanation of why everything was used the way they were and how/why the architecture evolved.

[@mercynamikoye9084]

As a non-American thank you for explaining the concept of blocks. We hear the term a lot on NYC shows but the scale doesnt make sense

[@pcno2832]

4:45 Back in 1975, I read a book called "The Good Old Days: They were terrible.", which described the conditions in these tenement buildings, including the trash piling up in ventilation shafts. It was quite revealing, but not really surprising. I later read something called "American Skyline" (written in the 1950s) which addressed a seeming paradox which had been bugging me for a while: how were there enough rich people in the 1800s to buy up all of the new, 5 or 6 story "brownstones" in cities like Boston and NYC. That's a lot of house, even for a very comfortable family. As the book described, these buildings were built in phases, with the newest streets being the most currently fashionable, and many of the houses in the streets that were more than a few years old became de facto rooming houses as the owners took in boarders to help pay the mortgage, then were subdivided not long after that. So the number of such buildings that were serving as individual residences at any given time was fairly low. In Boston, the leading edge of this wave was the newly created land from the gradual filling-in of the "Back Bay" saltwater swamp that originally surrounded the Charles River.

[@arandomhandsomeman7725]

How do you find out about these books

[@issbelvillastella5063]

Well, it was the choice of the adults to keep having kids. They love the stench,the rats and garbage, otherwise: why would they keep having kids if they are poor? Same applies nowadays,the poor keep having kids they can´t support. Apply EUGENICS!

[@markallen2984]

As a lifelong resident of Los Angeles, I have often heard these terms bandied about in movies or television shows set in New York. It's very interesting to learn the history of the architecture and the terms used to describe the various types of apartments. Thank you very much for making and posting this video!

[@RogueReplicant]

As a native angeleno, I have never understood why anyone would want to even visit New York, tf 😑

[@markallen2984]

@@RogueReplicant I am confident that there are MANY things that you don't understand.

[@RogueReplicant]

@@markallen2984 Ah, the triggered New Yorker rears his rude and arrogant head. Go watch another rerun of that awful NY sitcom, Seinfeld or whatever it's called.

[@rich-tp2dx]

@@RogueReplicant don't worry we all say the same things about LA

[@RogueReplicant]

@@rich-tp2dx Well, that's rich coz I hear transplanted NYers all the time. Easy to spot with the grating Nanny accent and the unfounded arrogance. Never met a transplanted Angeleno in NY.

[@timgadler3785]

I love experts! Michael's knowledge and passion for his craft bursts through in this highly informative and educational video. Top shelf production!

[@glyphic313]

I just love the way you explain stuff. So straight forward. Easy to understand

[@tccandler]

Thanks Michael Wyetzner! That was a fun and informative video.

[@Paeoniarosa]

I love all his videos. I hope there will be more.

[@Annoflacrosse]

I could watch this guy talk all day. Fascinating.

[@johansjournal]

i wonder if he is single…

[@hameley12]

I love videos about architecture and Michael Wyetzner's well-thought explanations! Some things my uncle, who has lived in small apartments most of his life in NYC, he asked us kids "Why do you have to fight over the restroom? There is more space outside for the boys" the boys blushed and the girls too! Then he told us how he and nine of his siblings lived in small apartments with a single toilet, and single bathtub and they all shared the same bedroom to sleep in. It really took us out of our selfish reality! Today my cousins recollect those memories and enjoy the small studios they share with their spouses and children. Obviously, today most 'Loft Apartments' are built out of renovated old buildings and are slightly more spacious, AC/Heat/Electric/waste disposal included in the rent. I think the gym, food service, and other amenities are extras, if you need them you can ask the landlord. Other than that, you can still see the original distinct shape, faded color, and the small detailed frescoes above doors, and staircases, and when the elevator is going up (clear top ceiling) you can also see the old decor all around the shaft. Definitely looking forward to more Mr Wyetzner's videos!

[@jillpannill2578]

So glad you popped up on my feed! Loved it.

[@Shooky_pink]

Love how he knows so much about architecture and not just the technical terms but how they came about why they came about what type of people lived in them and the systemic issues that people faced and still do

[@fredtello]

you must have missed all those white people living in squalor at the beginning of the video yeah they weren't blacks and minorities they were white people

[@michaelmvm]

great video, next you should make one on the types of housing found in the outer boros (pre vs post war apartments, the projects, newer 5 over 1s and older 2-3 stories over store space, etc)

[@freezyourit]

First time I've come accross your channel. I always wondered about these various types apartments. Truly enjoying to watch. I live in one of these apartments. I'll call it a tenement building. A 6 floor walk up, with no elevator. Not so much as a sink in the the tiny bathroom. Greatly pleased with this episode.

[@carle5538]

Beautifully explained. I always wondered about the different types of apartment buildings in New York City. Thank you for putting all this together for us. It is a great and beautiful video.

[@lifecloud2]

The railroad apartment layout reminds me of the "shotgun" houses we have here in the south. I lived in a shotgun apartment for about a year ... one room lead to the next. But it was up to the person living there what to do with each room ... and there was generally only one bedroom.

[@greenbongos]

I live in a brownstone in Harlem that was built in 1910. I love how the bedrooms are in the back and there aren’t any alley ways. Makes things very private, safe, and quiet from the New York noises. And one newer thing that had grown in sound recently, fireworks. Anytime New Years or July 4th approaches, fireworks are nuts here in Harlem.

[@LKonstantina915]

how much do you pay ? o.o

[@lexi7749]

Is it haunted?

[@anthonyjesus6151]

Are you sure those are fireworks?

[@greenbongos]

@@anthonyjesus6151 Bullets are expensive, only weekends for those.

[@greenbongos]

@@lexi7749 Nope :-)

[@kathleenwallace5271]

I really love this video. I've learned so much from it. It's beautifully put together and narrated. Thank you so much!

[@groundcontrol436385]

Thank you. That was great. I remember so much of what you talk about from listening to my NYC born and bred mother and her family.

[@pitsnipe5559]

As a boy in the Bronx, we lived in what I always heard referred to as a Pullman apartment. It was like you described as a railroad apt with the full length corridor. Before that my dad was the super in a dumbbell building. We lived in the basement next to the boiler room.

[@SunnyMorningPancakes]

I think Pullman makes sense when thinking about railroads because Pullman made/designed/built trains.

[@constitution_8939]

I grew up similar as my father was a Super and NYC Busdriver and because of All the Construction Trades I learned I can and have built many houses in my time as a Carpenter.

[@LauraKnotek]

Did you have a bathtub in the kitchen?

[@pitsnipe5559]

@@LauraKnotek No, it was in the bathroom 😁

[@nancyouverson2777]

I lived in a Pullman apartment on the north side of Chicago. It's now gone to make room for Loyola U expansion, so sad.

[@buckyharris9465]

Not all tenement apartments were railroads. I lived for 14 years (1976-1990) in what was then called a one-bedroom apartment in what was then known as the East Village. All the buildings in my immediate vicinity went up in the 1890s. My apartment measured 310 square feet. It had three rooms, all in a row, but you entered in the middle room. That was the bathe-in, eat-in kitchen (11' x 11') -- completely unrenovated -- with the original sink next to the bathtub, to which a previous tenant had added a hinged cover to create counter space. West of the kitchen was the living room (11' x 11') which I often used as a bedroom (my "living bedroom") and which contained a kind of closet with a toilet. East of the kitchen was the bedroom (7' x 8'), which I eventually turned into an office. Each of the three rooms had one north-facing window, and then the living room and the toilet-closet shared a fourth window, half in each space. There was a little storage space: cabinets above the bathtub, a tiny closet in one corner of the kitchen, and a very narrow built-in armoire in the living room. The location was fantastic -- I was in the middle of a thriving art & social scene -- and the rent was affordable even for a starving artist -- $110 a month when I moved in, $265 a month when I moved out 14 years later. (Rent stabilization is what made that thriving scene possible!) I didn't mind the primitive plumbing, but I often felt claustrophobic in that space. All the while I lived there I had a recurring dream in which I found a door in my apartment that led to a whole new room whose existence I'd never suspected. It made me feel ecstatic until I woke up and realized it was just that dream again. By now every unit in that building has been renovated, but they haven't gotten any bigger, so modern bathrooms now take up a lot of the former living space. Since 1990 I've lived in Seattle, where apartments tend to be a lot bigger (though the newly built ones get smaller every year). Sadly, Seattle doesn't have any form of rent control or stabilization, and rents just keep getting higher.

[@afxtwinreverb]

Nice story, I think a lot that rent prices has taken out poor people out of art/culture scenes.

[@ImNotaRussianBot]

I think this video is about the most common architectural features. I'm sure there is more.

[@joelressner9651]

This is an excellent series; I always learn something new. Thank you!!

[@unruffledduck]

This was incredible, thank you for creating this video and explaining into such detail the history of the architecture the way it affected people not just current aesthetics.

[@christinablacken3043]

I've lived in NYC for 12 years now and this is the most comprehensive and insightful recap of architecture and history of the city I've watched. Learned so much!

[@robertcook2680]

I just moved out of NYC a few months ago after nearly 41 years living on 100th Street (at Riverside Drive). I lived in a building built in 1913. In its original form, it had huge, multi-room apartments, but they were all cut down into smaller units sometime around the WWII era. I had one of the smaller apartments in the building--a small kitchen, a small-medium sized bathroom, a large bedroom and a large front room, and a mid-sized foyer--but compared to so many apartments elsewhere in the city, it was reasonably spacious, helped by having 10-foot ceilings. And it was rent-stabilized! I never did install an air-conditioner unit, so it could be hot in the summer, but, as you point it, there was plenty of steam heat throughout the winter. I loved living there. (By contrast, a college pal of mine who moved to NYC a couple of years before me lived in a railroad flat on 5th St. at the corner of Avenue B. Yes, the tub was in the kitchen, with a water closet at the far end of the apartment, a narrow closet-like space with only a toilet (no sink). The toilet was flushed by pulling on a chain hanging from the ceiling. My friend later moved one block up to 6th between Avenues A and B, and much later, to a loft in DUMBO while it was still an artist's colony, and before it became the high-priced SOHO clone it is today.)

[@winros]

Alphabet City! The best Indian food! St Mark's place thrift stores! Back in the '80s I used to go to a club I believe it was called The Pyramid...

[@Galworld761]

I lived 82nd and RSD. I loved it. I remember the police chasing the coyotes down the street that wandered out of the park. It was so quiet and interesting to walk thru.

[@ichaffee1]

I absolutely loved this little presentation. I grew up in the 50 s in Brooklyn.. such a beautiful city. My mother told me about how where she lived in NYC she had to use the " outhouse" in back of the house.

[@t23001]

Very informative! Great use of photos, diagrams, and drawings. The expert commentary is the best part.

[@anjumsings9827]

Wow, I've lived in nyc for a few years now and this was FASCINATING. To have been around so many of these places, and recognizing them in the video, but finally knowing the history. Really amazing, really appreciate it. I feel like Michael was super informative, talking about the good and the bad in what seemed to be a very leveled fashion. I'd love a tour from him!

[@vegancam]

Same, with the Brownstones I was immediately like, "Oh that looks like up around 88th St".

[@DoggieB92]

For the brownstone: "Stoop" is not a Dutch word for staircase, "Stoep" means pavement, as the stairs are a continuation of the public street

[@drfisheye]

In Amsterdam, the staircases of brownstone-like houses were called 'stoep'. The staircases were needed because the cellars couldn't be very low, because Amsterdam was build below sea level.

[@JantjePaki]

Stoep used to mean exactly what is shown in this video way back when New-York was still New-Amsterdam

[@walterwarren2402]

@@drfisheye today nyc has stoop; a set of stairs with a basement entrance below them typically. They vary from the original meaning where wide steps led to a roof covered outside area. This is more commonly referred to as a porch although the terms are commonly interchangeable. Then there are decks, witch are ubiquitous in suburban nyc. Often against building code as anything attached to the main structure needs to be on architecture plans and most are not . They are commonly private rear sitting areas w stairs to the house and ofter a set of stairs for egress. There is also a patio; a flat stone or cement are w acces to the house. I mention this as is occupies the same area as a deck but requires no permits for doing the same thing but isn't supported above ground. Both of these lack a roof

[@eoharrison7499]

​As a native Brooklynite, we've always referred to any outside steps in NYC as stoops, especially in Brooklyn. I remember my friends great grandparents calling them by that name in the 50s! Hello, Stoop Ball❣️🗽 Great times and memories.💕

[@pianoman47]

In Afrikaans (which is derived from Dutch), stoep means porch.

[@bluecollarlit]

This guy is so easy to listen to, and his enthusiasm is magnetic. I live in South Dakota, and yearn for New York City. This video kind of takes me there. Thank you.

[@leslieoscar]

What a wonderful series of videos about architecture ! Keep them coming

[@f.michaelbremer-cruz2708]

This was quite an interesting history lesson and I very much enjoyed this video. The architecture of NYC's apartments inspired multi-family housing in cities across the US; particularly during the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Learning more about the original contexts in which they developed was enjoyable viewing. This was presented in a truly engaging manner, IMHO--thanks! :)

[@NFNJP]

I own a 6 fl brown stone in Baltimore. Built in the early 1800’s. It’s huge. After I bought it, I found an entire hidden room, 3 weeks after I moved in. My nephew said “Uncle Neal …. this isn’t a house … it’s a hotel !” I loved it when I was younger but now it’s just too much space.

[@Antigonex]

all that space just isnt ideal for one person , itll never go to big families either due to the way this system works lol

[@mistermilkman]

@@Antigonex It depends on the individual. My 2Br apt is over 1400sq ft & it'sjust me. The rooms r massive & the ceilings r 12ft. When my family comes down 2 visit, every1 is comfortable. As far as the 6 story brownstone, I'd put 3-4 huge apts & hire a property manager 2 manage the building. I'd b a silent landlord & live n 1 of them.

[@Didenne]

Never converted it?

[@NFNJP]

@@Didenne it’s it exactly as I originally purchased it

[@mimusic1853]

This guy is amazing. He actually makes history sound interesting. Just glued!

[@robertlinkroum5964]

Great and thorough presentation.

[@LightworkerLissa]

Oh my gosh, I love this guy!! What a great teacher! He's so easy to listen to! This was SO interesting!!

[@viiabeaumanis4468]

I love Wyetzner's videos, he's so informed and interesting. I've only found a few other clips of him on AD-I wish there were more.

[@blqckpop]

As a former property professional worked more than 25 years in London and in Berlin, it was great to learn these details about the architecture of this amazing city I love and lucky to know. Thank you

[@pussycat_we_love_you_rescue]

This was amazing, just fascinating. Thank you!

[@Davett53]

In the late 1970s I met some artists who rented on old, defunct bowling alley, in the city of Chicago. It had about 10 lanes, and the ceilings were very tall. They built a 2 story apartment over 6 of the 10 lanes, keeping the lanes intact, but covering them over. Outside of their apartment, were the original remaining 4 lanes. They kept them intact, the narrow alleys became places to set up chairs, & other furnishings,.....and guests could still bowl, though the mechanical ball return, was no longer there. It had been gutted out and sold for scrap. Pins could be set up and knocked down, but resetting them, was a manual affair.

[@marcialabrahantes3369]

how long did that last?

[@Davett53]

@@marcialabrahantes3369 I don't know, I live in Columbus, Ohio, and saw it when I was visiting Chicago. At the time I visited a lot of cities to see where artists were setting up their studios, (and sleeping quarters) in unusual spaces. In Athens, Ohio,..in a defunct department store. In Cleveland, Ohio,....& Cincinnati in old factory buildings. One had been an old brewery. In most cases these were semi-illegal places, not zoned for living or even as art studios. Most cities had a surplus old buildings, and their owners were more than happy to find anyone willing to pay a low rent. They rented as: "As is" condition. meaning the renter took on all the expenses to make it workable and livable.

[@snowygirl131]

@@Davett53 ❤ Ah, back when people dared to dream!

[@Cmdtheartist]

I love these videos. Please keep them coming. Terrifically informative.

[@OMGWTFLOLSMH]

Fascinating and informative, presented in a very succinct way. Thanks for this.

[@stephanied4863]

I loved this history lesson. I'm so fascinated with historic buildings and architectural designs that you don't see in new builds. Truly lost art.

[@jameswilson7989]

I thoroughly enjoyed this video. Something about the way this gentleman conducted himself in conjunction with the knowledge of his craft was just great

[@cassaleelee]

Wow, lived in NYC 20 years and never knew about these UWS 2 floor studios! Having a hard time believing they are still intact. Would love to see one. I lived in several kinds of apartments in my time there, ending up in a very non-luxe 250sf studio on the backside of a converted Brownstone in Ft. Greene. It was the quietest apartment I ever had, with a huge bathroom that was original, and 3 long windows. I loved living there. Now I live in a circa 1924 terracotta tile roofed apartment in Atlanta, which is also beautiful and interesting, with many windows and a crazy cross-breeze that would have been essential pre AC. Love historic buildings. This was great, thank you!

[@godofthisshit]

@cassaleelee Yea they look great.

[@chrisbutenko8974]

What a great video. Michael seems to embody the best aspects of NYC. He talks fast, but clearly, and packs info. in densely. The format is ideal; going through in order according to historic eras and explaining each period and the reasons for each style, as well as the reasons for transition to the next style. The personal history with pictures of his family's actual apartment when they were recent immigrants is great. The contrast between the tenements and the elite studios is amazing.

[@hopeinparis]

Fascinating and very well presented. Thank you!

[@Tipazta]

Mr. Wyetzner was amazing, hope we get to see more videos like this, loved this episode!

[@Lala-tm5du]

im so glad u addressed affordable housing. some people have so many nasty thoughts about it not knowing how neglected the families and the buildings are by the government

[@gizzyguzzi]

Why is it government responsibility to provide housing?

[@woodcider]

@@gizzyguzzi Because government provides a common good. And if left to private entities, only the rich could live in cities and then cities couldn’t function.

[@gizzyguzzi]

@@woodcider How about personal responsibility? Get a damn job! Pay your own damn rent! Governments tenements created nothing but hopelessness and despair. Then welfare destroyed the family. Now government cant fix drug addiction and homelessness. Its a giant tax suck industry of pain snd suffering Government ruins everything

[@Luna-sf7rn]

@@gizzyguzzi because it is the government??????????

[@elvisvallejo5715]

@@woodcider lol our current situation in america but no one realizes it

[@futureDrNLB]

The Best 16 min I spent on youtube today. WOW, thank you for sharing this great information.

[@Willa279]

Amazing. So glad this autoplayed during morning coffee.

[@bigcatenergy3707]

I appreciate the discussion of socioeconomic class differences! So important to understanding housing

[@123ricardo210]

Dutch person here! "Stoop" is not the Dutch word for staircase but for pavement, or in the case of NYC the publically accessibele part of the pavement attached to a building. And can anyone explain how not having an alleyway creates heaps of garbage? Our tall row houses don't have that problem at all and a lot of them don't have alleyways either (or at least not big enough for garbage trucks)

[@Cuttypie201]

The alleyways would just be a place to store the garbage so it’s not on the sidewalk. Either way we have almost all of our food and items wrapped in pretty garbage (plastic/cardboard) packages. People usually over by groceries and rotten food gets thrown away. And all of us in nyc rely on delivered meals which then added to our massive stacks of garbage. Lastly it’s so many people living in small spaces, if you add that all up it’s a ridiculous amount of garbage. Oh and I’m sure there’s Amazon boxes in every single bag.

[@aimee-lynndonovan6077]

Garbage collectors strikes also cause pile ups. Millions of people live there!

[@drfisheye]

Depends on the frequency of the garbage collection. In Amsterdam you pay € 330 a year for garbage collection, so clean streets aren't free.

[@frednugent2310]

Outstanding presentation. This is fascinating to me along with learning the history of these historic structures