Proposed Convocation Tower, Madison Square

Hugh Ferriss's charcoal rendering imagines a soaring tower at Madison Square—a verticality study in architectural drawing rather than realized structure. Ferriss pioneered a distinctive style of presentation drawings using dramatic chiaroscuro (dark backgrounds, luminous facades) to convey scale and urban drama. His method influenced how twentieth-century architects communicated visionary schemes to clients and the public. Though this tower was never built, Ferriss's drawings shaped expectations of what cities could become, translating blueprints into atmospheric visions. The technique itself became as important as the structures depicted, demonstrating how architectural representation could inspire imagination about urban futures.