Architizer Journal is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
You’ve heard of scrupulous cartographers mapping our world’s cities, but did you ever think that someone could draw an entire metropolis, literally sketching out every building that makes up an urban landscape? While this sounds highly improbable, Brooklyn and Sydney-based illustrator James Gulliver Hancock has attempted to do just that.
In his immensely popular book All The Buildings In New York, Hancock assembled his charming and extensive drawings of some of the Big Apple’s most iconic buildings, as well as some more unfamiliar ones, into 64 pages of colorful illustrations. Described as a “love letter” to NYC, Hancock’s drawings capture its diverse architectural styles, from the brownstones of Brooklyn to the Art Deco Chrysler building.
On his website, Hancock describes an obsession with re-imagining the world around him, causing in him to panic that he “may never be able to draw everything in the world … at least once.” The book’s subtitle, “That I’ve Drawn So Far,” assures us that he will continue his quest to document his surroundings. We can’t wait to see more …
Shop for “All The Buildings In New York” and other gorgeous architecture books in James’ Amazon Store!
James Gulliver Hancock is an artist and illustrator. His work has been exhibited in galleries worldwide, and he has worked with a wide variety of high-profile clients, including Coca-Cola, the New York Times and Herman Miller Furniture. He chronicles his attempt to draw every single building in New York City at the popular blog www.allthebuildingsinnewyork.com.
