Misplaced: Photo Series Explores NYC’s Famous Buildings Moved to Barren Landscapes

All renderings via Misplaced

In the photography series Misplaced, interactive designer Anton Repponen takes iconic New York City buildings and landmarks and situates them in desolate environments. Repponen, who has a background in architecture, is clearly interested in urban space, exploring how the removal of urban fabric changes our perception of buildings. As described on the Misplaced website, “Concrete behemoths and steel-and-glass towers rise from sand dunes and rocky cliffs, inviting viewers to see them as if for the first time. Out of context, architectural forms become more pronounced and easily understood.”

The previous building of the Whitney Museum, itself a controversial building now repurposed as the Met Bruer

Repponen worked with audio producer Jon Earle to write short descriptions, which they term “flights of fancy,” that “enhances the overall sense of absurdity, mystery, and humor.” The resulting mashup images may seen beyond the realm of possibility, but considering the scale of buildings and cities emerging out of the nether in the Middle East and Asia, the actual context may not be too farfetched. And with China building imitation versions of Paris, New York and other cities, these images are simultaneously strange behold yet plausible.

Check out more below:

The United Nations

Lincoln Center

The new Whitney Museum in Meatpacking

The Standard Hotel in Meatpacking

New York by Gehry – 8 Spruce Street by Frank Gehry

Cooper Union

Chrysler Building-NYC” width=”800″ height=”762″ />Chrysler Building

The New Museum

Buy prints of these works at Misplaced Design! Next, check out the Haussmanian Project that blends old images of NYC and Paris.