This walking tour examines unsung achievements by trailblazing women architects, designers, and intellectuals. While many historical narratives emphasize male leadership and male contributions, we’ll consider major architectural projects where women played leading roles, such as the Universal Pictures Building (Elsa Gidoni), the former Manufacturers Trust Company Bank (Patricia W. Swan), the Seagram Building (Phyllis Lambert), and Saint Peter’s Church (Lella Vignelli).

Matthew A. Postal is an architectural historian specializing in 20th-century architecture, urbanism and interiors. He holds a PhD in art history from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Since 1998, he has been an historian at the Landmarks Preservation Commission in New York and is an instructor in the graduate program of the New York School of Interior Design and Lewis & Clark College. Matt is the co-author of the Guide to New York City Landmarks (2009) and 10 Architectural Walks in Manhattan (2009).