It's that time of the year again, New York City: Archtober is here! The month-long festival celebrates the city's architecture and its presence in everyday life with a varied offering of exhibitions, lectures, workshops, talks, conferences, film screenings, and insightful tours across the five boroughs.

For the ninth year in a row, Archinect & Bustler are proud to partner with Archtober and present you our weekly highlights from a packed calendar of events. Below are our recommendations for Archtober 2019 Week 1, October 1–8.

Having trouble locating the nearly 30 Buildings of the Day? Use Archinect's handy interactive map to easily spot them, especially while on the go.

Building of the Day: Hispanic Society Museum & Library | October 1

While the building is closed for renovation, enjoy special access to learn more about the history of this unique building and Audubon Terrace. Representatives from Beyer, Blinder Belle and Selldorf Architects will provide background of the building designed by Charles Pratt Huntington in 1908 [...].

Guggenheim Museum Silent Night | October 1

In homage to founding director Hilla Rebay’s vision for a “temple of spirit,” visitors are invited to enjoy the exhibitions on view in a meditative state of mind, aided by quiet in the rotunda and galleries.

ON LOOP by UNIVERSAL: Exhibition Opening | October 1

On Loop by Universal is a participatory and site-specific installation that builds on the notion that evolution is nature’s very own trial-and-error design method. It aims to examine the role of failure in the creative process through an iterative and collective design process.

Building of the Day: Brooklyn Children’s Museum | October 2

Seeking expanded capacity to serve a growing audience, the Brooklyn Children's Museum wanted a new public presence that would contribute to the vitality of the surrounding community. The new structure differs from its context, in color as well as physical form, yet remains welcoming and deferential to the museum's existing built environment.

Underground Tour of the NYC Subway | October 2

Take a ride through the living history of the world’s largest subway system and learn about its history and architecture, including work by Rafael Guastavino. We’ll uncover information and learn about spaces even the most seasoned commuter might not know about.

The Architect of Light: Happy Hour & Tour of Louis Kahn’s Final Masterpiece, FDR Four Freedoms State Park | October 2

Join Four Freedoms Park Conservancy for a happy hour and discussion on the last great work of Louis Kahn.

Opening | Fringe Cities: Legacies of Renewal in the Small American City | October 2

Presents opportunities for building equitable and inclusive futures in Fringe Cities, defined as on the periphery of large metropolises, many of which were severely impacted by urban renewal. Curated by MASS Design Group.

Building of the Day: One Vanderbilt | October 3

Set to become the tallest office tower in Midtown, One Vanderbilt’s tapered massing is comprised of four interlocking volumes that spiral upward to create a new icon on the Manhattan skyline.

The Evolution of Library Space | October 3

Linda Pollak, founding partner of MPA architectural firm responsible for the beauty that Elmhurst community library is, will lead a walking tour of the Library, and she will elaborate on MPA's approach when thinking about the Library and library space in general.

Architecture of Nature / Nature of Architecture | October 3

A panel of architects, historians, critics, and authors will discuss Diana Agrest’s recent publication Architecture of Nature / Nature of Architecture. Panelists include Diana Agrest, Beatriz Colomina, Kurt Forster, Peter L. Galison, Caroline A. Jones, Sylvia Lavin, and Paul Lewis. (Read also Archinect's recent conversation with Diana Agrest, The Conflict Between Nature and Architecture: an Interview with Diana Agrest)

Building of the Day: NYBG Edible Academy | October 4

Conceived of as a collection of indoor/outdoor structures connected to expansive vegetable gardens and a dramatic wooded context, NYBG's Edible Academy is a year-round teaching center focusing on the fundamental relationships between plants, gardening, sustainability, cooking, nutrition, and health.

Narrative Practice: The 5th Annual Urban Design Storytelling Symposium | October 4

Jon Bowermaster, Nellie Hermann and Ayesha Williams in conversation with Cassim Shepard. As media and design increasingly converge, this symposium asks how narrative strategies — of novelists, journalists, filmmakers, and activists — reflect design methodologies, from performing site analysis to evaluating success.

Cocktails & Conversation: Marlon Blackwell & Billie Tsien | October 4

Cocktails & Conversation is a series of dialogues about design that joins an architect with a critic, journalist, curator, or architectural historian to discuss current architecture design issues. Each program includes a custom-crafted cocktail—one inspired by the architect’s work and created especially for this event.

Building of the Day: Church of the Transfiguration | October 5

This tour will visit the Roman Catholic Church of the Transfiguration, a unique structure in Queens’ Maspeth neighborhood, combining mid-century design and Lithuanian folk elements. Constructed in 1962 to designs by Lithuanian architect Jonas Mulokas, the church received an honorable mention from the Queens Chamber of Commerce Building Awards program.

The Secrets of Grand Central Terminal | October 5

Learn about the secrets of one of NYC’s most iconic buildings. See Grand Central’s hidden tennis courts. Peek into the entrance of the glass walkways. Learn about the design flaw as large as Grand Central Terminal’s main atrium. Discover a multi-million dollars jewel hidden in plain sight and more!

Behind-the-Scenes Hard Hat Tour of Ellis Island’s Abandoned Hospital | October 5

Get exclusive access inside Ellis Island’s abandoned hospital and experience a hard hat tour you will never forget. Learn about our nation’s immigration history while visiting the contagious disease wards, autopsy rooms and other places usually closed to the public.

Building of the Day: Fort Wadsworth | October 6

Led by a parks ranger and an architect for the National Parks Service, the tour will explore one of the historic fortifications located within Fort Wadsworth. The fortifications date to the 19th century and were part of New York City’s coastal defense system.

The Secrets of the Brooklyn Bridge | October 6

Discover the Brooklyn Bridge’s many secrets, including its old Cold War fallout shelter, the hidden champagne vaults, the bridge jumper survivor’s support group and even the site of the nation’s first White House!

AIANY Around Manhattan Architecture Tour | October 6

AIANY & Classic Harbor Line collaborate together and host the AIANY Around Manhattan Architecture Tour. Circumnavigate the Island of Manhattan on a classic yacht as a AIANY member narrates all of the Architecture from the perspective of the water.

Building of the Day: The Vilcek Foundation | October 7

This extensive renovation transforms a landmark five-story structure into the new home that supports the Vilcek Foundation’s mission to “raise awareness of immigrant contributions in America and foster appreciation of the arts and sciences.”

The BQE in Context: Communities, Infrastructure and Public Space | October 7

This session will serve to educate a wider audience about the 1.5-mile Triple Cantilever section of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway (BQE), built in the 1940s by Robert Moses, which is at the end of its useful life and currently requires replacement or extensive rehabilitation. The AIANY Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the AIANY Planning and Urban Design Committee formed a joint BQE Task Force to respond to the BQE proposals by NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) and other constituencies. [...] This program will provide a spirited forum for leaders in planning, urban design, and transportation infrastructure to provide commentary on the report developed by the Task Force and the future of the BQE.

RCR Arquitectes: Timeless | October 7

Spanish architect Carme Pigem discusses her firm's projects for the Architectural League/Cooper Union Current Work series.

Building of the Day: Building 77 | October 8

Built between 1941 and 1942, Building 77 at the Brooklyn Navy Yard was originally designed by architect George T. Basset for the Bureau of Yards and Docks Administration. It served as a storage site and nerve center for the Navy during WWII and was renovated and reopened as a manufacturing and creative office building in 2017.

Architecture and the Lights of Gotham: Nighttime Boat Tour | October 8

From the time the Brooklyn Bridge was inaugurated with dazzling lights and fireworks in 1883, architects and lighting designers have understood the importance of presenting their structures in the night sky. [...] This two hour-and fifteen-minute narrated cruise will depart at sunset from Chelsea Piers in Manhattan and will include the Lower Hudson River, the Upper Bay and the East River, and will be offered most Tuesday evenings throughout the fall.

Don't forget to check back for our Week 2 highlights! For the complete list of events from October 1–31, head over to the Archtober event list, like the Facebook page, or follow Archtober on Twitter and Instagram.