The Highrises Collection

 

Every now and then when perusing my Twitter feed or otherwise surfing the web, I stumble upon something truly remarkable. Such was the case earlier this week when I discovered the photography of Chris Hytha (@Hythacg). What caught my eye was a collection of his stunning images of Art Deco towers, part of a larger project to document historic skyscrapers across the USA entitled the Highrises Collection.
 
Chris is a young designer and visual artist based in the city of Philadelphia. Back in 2015, a passion for photography sparked when he moved from his small hometown just outside the city to Philadelphia to begin architecture school at Drexel University. Chris’s visual art developed alongside his growing skills as a designer, and this architectural influence is integral to his work. His main inspirations to create are light and the built environment.
 
Chris uses a drone-mounted camera to take multiple high-resolution photos of the top of each building. He then stitches the shots together to create an elevation scan with a flattened perspective and enhanced lighting effects to accentuate depth and form. Creative and artistic liberties celebrate the unique character of each structure.
 
The results are nothing less than striking. The surreal quality of the images and the consistency of their presentation accentuates their graphic appeal. The symmetrical framing and saturated color are reminiscent of stills from a Wes Anderson movie. At the same time, they suggest hand-drawn documentary art, not altogether unlike the illustrations of bird species by John James Audubon. Focusing on the character and craftsmanship on display at the top of landmark buildings in a way that can’t be seen from street level, his images reveal fascinating details and stories of these distinctly American icons.

So, what is it about the Art Deco skyscrapers of the 1920s and 1930s that Chris (and I) find so appealing? Firstly, they are landmarks that often serve as symbols of a city’s identity and cultural heritage. Secondly, the Art Deco style is characterized by a unique combination of classic elegance and modernity. Their geometric shapes and streamlined profiles are often packaged in forms that emphasize their height and verticality. Lastly, their elaborate decorative elements—intricate metalwork, colorful mosaics, and stylized sculptures—and evident craftsmanship are distinctive, setting these towers apart from their more ponderous forebears and coldly mute post-WWII successors. We nostalgically associate the Art Deco style with the glamour, luxury, and sophistication of a bygone era.
 
The Highrises Collection is an ongoing project. When done, Chris hopes to have documented 200 buildings across nearly 70 cities.
 
Check out Chris’ work at https://highrises.hythacg.com. His website includes a shop from which you can purchase his photo collage prints, 4K smartphone wallpapers, NFTs, and sketches. He plans to release a coffee table book before the end of this year, something I eagerly look forward to buying.