Curtis + Ginsberg on working through the pandemic and its aftermath. Image courtesy of Curtis + Ginsberg Architects.

New York City-based Curtis + Ginsberg Architects have a long track record of delivering a wide range of project types for public and private sector clients, particularly within the realm of affordable housing design. Founded in 1990 by Darby Curtis, AIA, and Mark Ginsberg, FAIA, the 42-person firm has worked methodically to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic by instituting sweeping work-from-home policies for the office while also adapting its physical spaces for socially distant use. 

For the latest Studio Snapshot, Archinect caught up with Curtis and Ginsberg to learn more about how the firm has fared over the last six months, how it is approaching attracting new projects, and what lies ahead for the practice. 

Where and when did your studio start?  

Like many young architects, partners Darby Curtis and Mark Ginsberg started their practice out of an apartment in Lower Manhattan doing single-family residential work in 1990. Soon after, we won a commission for the renovation of an historic halfway house for women. From there, we sublet office space and expanded our mission-driven vision of enabling and enhancing sustainable communities through quality architecture.

How many people work at the company?  

We are currently a firm of 42, and have so far weathered the impact of COVID-19, enabling us to retain and increase our staff.

C+GA is a mission-driven firm focusing primarily on sustainable and resilient projects in New York City that enhance communities and the life for all who live, work, and play in a neighborhood, as well as the larger City.

How would you describe the nature of your practice in terms of specialization and/or market / project focus?  

C+GA is a mission-driven firm focusing primarily on sustainable and resilient projects in New York City that enhance communities and the life for all who live, work, and play in a neighborhood, as well as the larger City. Our work over the last 30 years has supported this mission, with a large amount of mixed-use and multifamily residential, including both affordable and supportive housing, often with a social service, community-oriented, or educational program component; Our institutional, educational, and community-based cultural projects extend this mission.

Much of this work has been for not-for-profit organizations and government agencies, along with work for the private sector. Many projects have involved a combination of these client types, as well as a variety of stakeholders. Our firm’s commitment to improving the lives of all New Yorkers and beyond is integral with our commitment to sustainability and resiliency. From the outset, all our projects have incorporated sustainable design elements, even long before there was LEED, Passive House, and other certification programs. Consequently, we are recognized leaders in sustainability, both locally and nationally. We are on the ENR 2020 Top 100 Green Buildings Design Firms and have been contributors to both NYC and NY State’s responses to ongoing sustainability and resiliency challenges.

How has your practice shifted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic on a day-to-day level?  

The largest shift for C+GA in response to COVID-19 has undoubtedly been remote work. Initially, from mid-March through June, our staff was fully remote, with one of the partners occasionally walking to the physical office to check the mail, etc. We began working remotely a week before NYC’s official shutdown. A week prior to that, anticipating the impact of the pandemic, we had all staff test their home set-ups and remote log-ins, enabling the firm to make a smooth transition. The success of the remote working, and establishment of multiple communication options, has enabled us to successfully work remotely. We use a number of programs for internal, client and team meetings, allowing us to not only share screens, but to sketch over drawings and add notes that are shared by everyone. While it is admittedly not quite the same as meeting in person with a roll of trace, we have found this method to be successful as we design and document our projects, and work with our clients at all phase of projects.

A week prior to [NYC’s official shutdown], anticipating the impact of the pandemic, we had all staff test their home set-ups and remote log-ins, enabling the firm to make a smooth transition.

And have you re-opened your offices more recently? 

So far, we have opened the office, offering a partial/staggered return, adhering to strict social distancing guidelines and staggered work schedules for those who do come in. Just as importantly, we have provided our staff with the option to continue full-time remote work if needed, and flexibility in their hours for those who do come in to the office, allowing them to commute during non-rush hour times. We do not anticipate having a full return until the pandemic is better controlled and local governments and health officials advise it is safe to do so.

What sorts of design changes do you anticipate making to your physical office setup if / when you return?    

We are committed to maintaining the recommended CDC and NYC guidelines to ensure the safety of our staff. As alluded to above, we have already split them into two groups that alternate weeks in the office. In addition, we require them to wear masks and have confirmed at least six feet of distance between all staff seated at desks. We have also implemented a one-way circulation plan through the entire space and placed limits on the number of people in common areas and meeting spaces based on the size. Our latest weekly all staff Zoom get together included seven people distanced in our large conference room. We are fortunate to have a landlord who has installed MIRV 13 filters and maintains similar standards for the building’s public areas.

We have also implemented a one-way circulation plan through the entire space and placed limits on the number of people in common areas and meeting spaces based on the size.

Will your work-from-home policies be extended permanently after it is safe to return to the office?  

We have already provided staff with flexibility, as noted above, and prior to the pandemic, we allowed for some remote work for specific circumstances. When it is safe for everyone to return to the office, we will continue that policy, although the goal is to return to a regular in-office environment as much as possible to ensure the most efficient and collaborative work process.

What are you currently working on? 

C+GA is currently working on a range of projects. We have several multifamily and mixed-use affordable and supportive housing projects, both new construction, a number of which are Passive House, and large scale renovations for multiple building developments. We are also in the midst of a large resiliency project for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) encompassing three developments on 15.7 acres. In addition is work on multiple City University of New York (CUNY) campuses, and a number of social service and community-based projects for not-for-profits. We also have an internal working group to research physical implications of COVID-19, to guide our clients in staying safe in their existing buildings and plan for healthier buildings in the future. For example, we are implementing active design measures to provide common outdoor recreation space and fresh air ventilation to improve affordable multifamily housing. We have also partnered up with the Urban Design Forum, and the Van Alen Institute to offer pro bono services to The Cooper Square Committee, a local community organization, to assist them in safely providing services to their neighborhood. 

We are implementing active design measures to provide common outdoor recreation space and fresh air ventilation to improve affordable multifamily housing.

What is your approach for getting new projects at the moment?   

We continually implement a variety of marketing and business development approaches. We are simultaneously leveraging our existing relationships to support our clients, responding to proposal requests from new and existing clients, and are even researching the conversion of existing hotels to provide supportive housing.

What are you looking for (skill sets, qualities, capacities ,etc.) in potential new hires?  

Of paramount value to C+GA is potential employees’ ability to think outside the box, and we’re always seeking well-rounded architects with good design skills, technical knowledge, Revit experience, and exposure to multiple phases, based on the amount of experience they have. We also share among our staff our commitment to high-quality design while working for social good. Our mission and a collaborative environment are an important part of our office culture. We have also been reviewing how we can recruit more architects of color. Currently, 46% of our staff identifies as women, and 46% minorities, but we continue to strive to better represent the overall demographics of New York City.