30 A 21-year journey that started at Rockefeller Plaza

At the Dinan Miller Gallery on Fifth Avenue at the Museum of the City of New York, an artist's obsessive work was revealed to the public for the first time. The main character is a miniature model of New York City that Joe Macken handcrafted over a period of 21 years from 2004.

This exhibition, titled 'He Built This City: Joe Macken's Model', will continue until the summer of 2026. This installation, measuring 15 meters wide and 8 meters long (50 x 27 feet), provides visitors with a unique view of New York from above.

Portrait of a city made of balsa wood and cardboard

Macken completed this massive work using only simple materials: balsa wood, cardboard, and glue. For the artist, this choice of material was intentional. The goal is to show that high-tech tools are not necessary to represent complex urban forms.

The model follows the actual urban structure of New York. Although the layout of streets and blocks and the positions of buildings reflect reality, this is not a simple replication. McCann made subtle changes to capture his vision of New York. As a result, this model became both an objective map and a personal narrative.

The starting point of the work was 30 Rockefeller Plaza. Starting from this iconic building, the model expanded outward one by one, just as the actual city expanded. As time passed, the density of the model gradually increased and came to reflect the reality of New York.

A new way to read the city

Visitors can study the structure of New York by walking around the model. You can see at a glance how each area is connected, the height and shape of the buildings, and the distance between streets. This model functions as a tool for education through design and craftsmanship.

The work visualizes density, a key characteristic of New York. The buildings are close together and space is limited. At the same time, architectural diversity is revealed. The sight of buildings of different styles standing side by side shows one aspect of how the city works.

A changing city, accumulating layers of time

The actual New York also changed during the 21-year production period. New buildings were built and others disappeared. McCann constantly had to decide what to include and what to exclude. In his model, the past and present naturally blend together.

These characteristics remind us that the city is not a completed entity but is ‘always in progress.’ McCann's work goes beyond simply representing New York, and explains how the city is built, grows, and remains in people's memories.

Future implications [AI analysis]

This exhibition is likely to shed new light on the value of analog craftsmanship in the digital age. In an era where 3D printing and digital modeling have become widespread, the materiality and accumulation of time provided by hand-carved and pasted models deliver a different level of emotion.

Additionally, the educational value of these physical models can be reevaluated in the fields of urban planning and architectural education. This is because the core strength of this work is the sense of space and density that are difficult to convey with a virtual model on the screen.

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Exhibition Information

• Exhibition Name: He Built This City: Joe Macken's Model
• Location: Dinan Miller Gallery, Museum of the City of New York
• Period: Until summer 2026