Archinect - News

Greg Switzer is inaugurated as the AIANY’s first Black president

2024-01-03T16:30:00-05:00

The American Institute of Architects' New York Chapter (AIANY) recently welcomed its new leadership team for the year 2024 via a special ceremony that also saw the inauguration of architect Greg Switzer as the first-ever Black president in the organization’s 167-year history.

Switzer will be actively engaging with the organizational theme Belonging and Beyond, which encourages the development of a human-centric approach to designing for better social cohesion and physical health in the built environment.

The AIA shares: “The 2024 AIANY presidential theme, 'Belonging and Beyond,' centers on a crucial aspect of human well-being that improves physical and social-emotional health and resilience for individuals and communities. 'Belonging' refers to a deep connection with social groups, physical places, and individual and collective experiences. This year’s theme calls for us to be intentional about inclusion by listening and workshopping ideas worth advocating for and amplifying. 'Belon...

Jesse Lazar announced as new permanent AIA New York and Center for Architecture Executive Director

2023-09-26T16:59:00-04:00

The American Institute of Architects New York (AIANY) and the Center for Architecture (CFA) have just announced the appointment of Jesse Lazar as the new permanent Executive Director of both organizations, filling a void left by Benjamin Prosky after his departure this February.

Lazar had been serving in an Interim Executive Director role since that time and comes to the position with experience as the CFA's Development Director between 2014 and 2016. He has been instrumental in fundraising more than $20 million for both organizations since that time while also working to establish AIANY’s 2030 Fund, CFA Lab program, and other initiatives. Lazar also has previous experience with the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and received his MBA from the University of Michigan in 2012.

“I’ve worked with Jesse Lazar on and off at the Center for Architecture since 2008,” AIA New York’s 2023 President Matthew Bremer said in a statement. “I also have the mindset that instit...

Archtober, NYC’s Architecture and Design Festival, Celebrates its 13th Year

2023-09-15T13:30:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by Archtober 2023

Archtober, a New York City-based platform that promotes the discovery of architecture and design through experiences and content, will celebrate the next installment of its annual Festival from October 1–31, 2023. In collaboration with over 100 partners and sponsors across the city, the 2023 Festival will gather events, exhibitions, resources, and activities across the five boroughs to raise awareness of the importance of architecture and design in New York City. This year, for the first time, the platform has introduced a 2023 theme, Bridging Divides, which helps to organize select programming with shared goals and conceptual connections. Additionally, Archtober is excited to continue to expand the Archtober Guide on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app.

“As Archtober celebrates its 13th year, we are thrilled to be working with over 100 collaborating partners to offer an impressive—and still growing—lineup of architecture...

New York’s School Construction Authority is preparing for a school building boom

2023-08-25T17:41:00-04:00

The body in charge of K-12 planning and construction in New York City was recently profiled by the AIA New York as it prepares for a surge in student enrollment that’s expected over the next decade.

The New York School Construction Authority (or SCA) is a specialty city agency that employs 1,100 people and is tasked with the delivery and maintenance of school buildings in the New York City Public Schools arsenal, a charge which makes it directly responsible for the well-being, safety, and learning environments of more than 1.1 million students.

With a staff that currently includes 170 architects, Stephen Zacks for the AIANY writes the SCA has a unique talent when it comes to the delivery of high-quality structures within challenging construction schedules and have become national examples of the implementation of efficient project management at...

Evelyn Lee is named 2025 AIA President

2023-06-09T15:47:00-04:00

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has formally announced AIA San Francisco and AIA California chapter member Evelyn Lee as its 2024 First VP President-Elect and 2025 President.

Lee is currently the Global Head of Workspace Strategy and Innovation at Slack in San Francisco and is also a member of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). She also served as the AIA National Treasurer from 2020 to 2021 and comes to the position with extensive experience within the organization, including a stint as the Past Chair of the Young Architect's Forum and National Associates Committee.

Lee has also contributed to the profession as a design strategist and writer, discussing with Archinect in a 2018 featured interview that she sees a need for manifold changes throughout the profession for architecture to maintain its relevance in society more broadly.

"Architects need to take hold of our identities as multi-faceted problem solvers, conveners, and human-centered design th...

AIA New York awards $7,500 in student loan support to six aspiring BIPOC architects

2023-05-18T10:00:00-04:00

AIA New York has awarded $7,500 to help six aspiring BIPOC architects pay off their student loans. The money is to be drawn from the organization's 2030 Fund, which seeks to “help build a more diverse and representative profession.”

The 2030 Fund was developed by AIANY in collaboration with the New York Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects. The fund is also used to support NOMA’s 2030 Challenge, which aims to double the number of licensed Black architects by the end of the decade.

The six future architects to receive the latest funding are Wilfrido Adames (Pratt Institute), Hamees Gabr (City College of New York and Harvard Graduate School of Design), Chae Park (Cornell University and the Art Institute of Chicago), Reuben Posada (Texas A&M University and Cornell University), Jahaan Scipio (Syracuse University and Yale University), and Stephen Sewar (University of South Florida).

Archtober, New York City’s Architecture Festival, Returns for its Twelfth Year

2022-09-16T12:20:00-04:00

This post is brought to you by Archtober 2022

Archtober, the month-long festival of architecture and design, returns this year to New York City. Organized by the Center for Architecture in collaboration with partners and sponsors across the city, the 2022 installment of the festival will gather events, exhibitions, resources, and activities across the five boroughs. Despite the challenges of the past few years, Archtober has continued to expand, this year gathering more than 100 partners and sponsors to celebrate the importance of architecture and design in New York City. New this year: the Archtober Guide on Bloomberg Connects, the free arts and culture app!

Front and York by Morris Adjmi Architects. Image © Selvon Ramsawak/Courtesy of Archtober.

“As Archtober celebrates its twelfth year, I am thrilled to see how the festival continues to grow, with over 100 collaborating partners and new program offerings,” said Benjamin Prosky, Assoc. AIA, Executive Director, AIA New York | Cente...

Archtober returns for its eleventh year, celebrating design and New York City with an in-person and virtual festival

2021-09-24T15:10:00-04:00

This post is sponsored by Archtober 2021

Archtober, New York City’s month-long celebration of architecture and design, returns this year as a hybrid virtual and in-person festival. Organized by the Center for Architecture in collaboration with 70 partners and sponsors, the 2021 installment of the festival gathers events, exhibitions, resources, and activities that celebrate the importance of architecture and design in NYC and beyond. New this year: the Archtober Guide to New York map!

Center for Architecture reopening. Image © Sam Lahoz/Courtesy of AIA|NY Center for Architecture

“As New York City continues to reopen and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, we welcome all New Yorkers and visitors alike to celebrate our city’s resiliency and capacity for transformation,” said Benjamin Prosky, Assoc. AIA, Executive Director of AIA New York and the Center for Architecture. “We hope you will join us and our partner institutions as we discover buildings and design experiences located across...

Empowering people with architecture: Victor Body-Lawson presented the Leader in Housing Award by the AIA New York Chapter

2021-06-28T13:12:00-04:00

Architect, educator, artist, and public housing advocate Victor Body-Lawson has spent much of his career working towards community-driven designs that focus on integrating design, arts, and architectural education for more equitable urban solutions. Body-Lawson's work spans New York, other neighboring cities along the East Coast, Cuba, and projects in West Africa. He advocates for equitable, urban residential projects and architects serving as their own real estate agents. His contributions to challenging public housing and propelling affordable housing initiatives have positioned him as a force in the industry. On Wednesday, June 24th, the AIA New York Chapter awarded Body-Lawson with the Leadership in Housing Award.

Home Street Residences by Body Lawson Associates

Born in Nigeria, Body-Lawson came to the United States for school and attended Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C where he pursued architecture. He received his M.Arch at Columbia University where he worke...

New York’s Center for Architecture Launches Digital Residency to Promote New Voices in Design

2021-04-19T11:39:00-04:00

New York’s Center for Architecture has announced the launch of the Center for Architecture Lab – a digital residency dedicated to promoting new voices and ideas in architecture. Created in response to major destabilizing forces, from the COVID-19 pandemic to the racial justice movement in the United States, the program will invite a diverse, multi-disciplinary field of professionals to engage with important issues through the lens of architecture and design. Through this, it hopes to encourage the architectural community to consider outside perspectives, critical questions, and innovative solutions to problems within and beyond the architectural profession.

The multi-month residency program will see a series of individuals, institutions, and organizations contribute their expertise to important questions in the built environment. The program will offer residents full authorship over dedicated areas of the Center for Architecture’s digital platforms, where they will publish compellin...

ikon.5 architects, Young & Ayata, nARCHITECTS and over 20 other NY firms recognized at the 2021 AIANY Design Awards

2021-01-27T15:57:00-05:00

The annual AIANY Design Awards recognizes New York-based practices for their outstanding work and overall design excellence. Awards are distributed across the following categories: Architecture, Interiors, Urban Design, and Projects.

Jury members Marlon Blackwell, Julie Eizenberg, Stephan Gary, Andrea Love, Maria Paz de Moura Castro, and Francesca Perani were tasked with selecting projects that "demonstrates exemplary skill and creativity in the resolution and integration of formal, functional, and technical requirements, including ecological stewardship and social responsibility."

Below are this year's winning firms and their projects.

Best in Competition

Newark Housing Authority Training Recreation Education Center (TREC) by ikon.5 architects

Newark Housing Authority Training Recreation Education Center (TREC) by ikon.5 architects. Image © Jeffrey Totaro/Courtesy of AIANY

Project details: The Newark Housing Authority aspired to design a facility that would be a social collector; a ...

AIA New York pushes for actionables against racism within criminal justice system

2020-10-02T15:22:00-04:00

AIA New York released a statement showing initiative towards impactful reform. The letter urges to create actionable steps to dismantling racial and social injustice issues sustained by the criminal justice system. The Chapter addressed they will no longer "reward or highlight work that perpetuates harmful and unjust systems, including criminal justice facilities in the current US context."

Below is an excerpt from their Criminal Justice Facilities Statement:

For too long, architects have been complicit in upholding intrinsic racism within the American criminal justice system. While many architects have attempted to mitigate injustice by applying their professional skills to associated built structures, ultimately, it is beyond the role of design professionals to alleviate an inherently unjust system. Until more comprehensive policy changes are made on a national scale, good design alone is not enough to remove or overcome the racism inherent within the criminal justice system. It ...

Archtober Returns for its Tenth Year, Celebrating Design and New York City via Hybrid In-Person/Virtual Festival

2020-09-23T15:23:00-04:00

This post is sponsored by Archtober 2020

Archtober, a month-long celebration of architecture and design, returns this year as a hybrid virtual and in-person festival to celebrate its 10-year anniversary. Organized by the Center for Architecture in collaboration with 70 partners and sponsors, the 2020 installment of the festival gathers events, exhibitions, resources, and activities that highlight the importance of architecture and design, even during the most challenging of times.

“New York City and New Yorkers have shown their resiliency through the pandemic and resulting financial crisis, said Benjamin Prosky, Assoc. AIA, Executive Director of AIA New York and the Center for Architecture. “We are proud to have an opportunity to celebrate the incredible strength of our city and its built environment, and the institutions large and small that contribute to its rich and vibrant cultural landscape.”

Domino Sugar Refinery. Courtesy Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU)

As Archt...

A photographic look at Lower Manhattan's disappearing single-story building typology

2019-12-02T07:00:00-05:00

A new exhibition currently on view at the Center for Architecture in New York City highlights the disappearing nature of single-story buildings across the East Village and Lower East Side neighborhoods.

The Single Story Project highlights New York's low-slung buildings. Image courtesy of the Center for Architecture.

The exhibition features the architectural photography of Adam Friedberg, who has been personally documenting every single-story structure in the area over the last four years. According to an exhibition website, the exhibition highlights a "reflection of the rapid development and gentrification of the neighborhood. He completed the project this past fall, and over the course of the documentation many of the buildings have already disappeared or will soon be demolished."

57 4th Avenue. Image courtesy of Adam Friedberg.

724 Broadway. Image courtesy of Adam Friedberg.

According to the site, Friedberg would photograph the buildings early in the morning before cars and pedestr...

Winners of New Practices New York 2016 announced

2016-02-10T12:49:00-05:00

Judged by a five-member jury including Architect's Newspaper editor-in-chief William Menking and Philip Johnson Chief Curator of Architecture and Design at MOMA Martino Stierli, the 2016 New Practices New York winners are MODU, SCHAUM/SHIEH, stpmj, Studio Cadena, Taller KEN, and the suitably-named Young Projects. Some of the award-wining work includes a "sliding screen partition made from folded, polished stainless steel" by Young Projects in Tribeca:

stpmj garnered the award by submitting their Shear House project, an environmentally sensitive house sited in Yecheon, Korea:

Meanwhile, Taller KEN used an inventive moulded fiberglass element for their Zona 14 House in Guatemala City:

David Burney named interim Executive Director of AIANY and Center for Architecture

2015-04-03T18:50:00-04:00

While the search for a permanent director continues, David Burney, FAIA, will serve as interim Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter and the Center for Architecture, taking the place of former director Rick Bell FAIA.

Burney currently serves as an Associate Professor of Planning and Placemaking at the Pratt Institute's School of Architecture, as well as the Board Chair for the Center for Active Design. Previously, he was Commissioner of the City's Department of Design and Construction (2004-2014).

The complete press release from AIA NY is as follows:

New York, NY (April 3, 2015)—The American Institute of Architects New York Chapter (AIANY) and the Center for Architecture today named David Burney, FAIA, interim Executive
Director. Burney, an architect, urbanist, educator, and former Commissioner of the City’s Department of Design and Construction (DDC), will serve in the post until the organization hires a permanent Executive Director.

Burney is credi...

Elizabeth Diller, MoMA discuss expansion and Folk Museum's demolition with slice of NY architectural community

2014-01-29T15:46:00-05:00

The controversial plans to demolish the American Folk Art Museum in service of MoMA's expansion rumbled along last night, at a panel discussion hosted jointly by the Architectural League, the Municipal Art Society, and the AIA's New York chapter.

Catch-up on news surrounding MoMA's expansion here:

Archinect contributors / Parsons MArch students Ayesha Ghosh and Alex Stewart attended the event, taking notes and logging thoughts. The following is their report.

* updated February 3, 2014: You can also find a video of the entire discussion, courtesy of the Architectural League, at the bottom of this post.

A Conversation on the ...

50th anniversary of NYC Penn Station demolition to be honored by staged reading and panel highlighting the debate on historic preservation

2013-10-31T14:49:00-04:00

The Eternal Space will visually recreate the marvel of the former Pennsylvania Station using the actual photographs that documented the station’s demise. [...] Using the latest in projection technology these arresting photographs will speak to the tragic demolition of an American architectural masterpiece [...] On the 50th anniversary of that great loss, The Eternal Space will pay tribute to the station and the gifted photographers who worked to immortalize it.

Architects, historians, and all urban enthusiasts are invited to a free evening event that will acknowledge the 50th anniversary of the demolition of NYC's Pennsylvania Station on Nov. 6 at the AIA | NY Center for Architecture. Hosted by AIA | NY, the program will begin with a live reading of selected scenes from The Eternal Space, a two-man stage play set during the Penn Station's demolition, which began on Oct. 28, 1963.

The play presents a dialogue on the value of old vs. new, past vs. present, and all the timeless arguments that come with them that last to this day. The Eternal Space also points out the ongoing yet overlooked debate on the preservation of historic structures in New York and throughout the U.S. Never-published photography of the demolition from some of the subject's most notable photographers will provide the scenic backdrop for the staged reading.

The reading will be followed by a panel discussion — moderated by Curbed NY Senior Editor Hana Alberts ...