Author: Emma Pattiz

Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Housing New York plan, released in May 2014, lays out a set of strategies to preserve and create 200,000 units of affordable housing. To achieve that goal, the NYC Department of City Planning (DCP) has proposed a series of zoning changes that will remove barriers that constrain housing production and increase costs, encourage better quality buildings, promote senior housing, and reduce unnecessary parking requirements by updating the current zoning regulations. On 04.17.15, NYC’s architectural community filled Tafel Hall to hear directly from DCP. Continue reading “Zoning for All”

As part of an ongoing series related to Passive House design, the Urban Green Council, with the AIANY Committee on the Environment and New York Passive House, held “EnerPHit: The Passive House Standard for Energy Retrofits” at the Center for Architecture on 04.01.15. EnerPHit is the passive house energy retrofit standard created by Passive House Institute Founder Dr. Wolfgang Feist. Continue reading “Active House: EnerPHit”

FitCity 10: Promoting Physical Activity through Design, organized by AIANY and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, will take place on 05.11.15 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the New York Academy of Medicine, 1216 5th Avenue. The 10th annual conference will bring together architects, planners, designers, developers, government officials, community advocates, and public health professionals to discuss how design, policy, and practice decisions can create opportunities to increase physical activity, access to healthier food and beverages, and overall well-being in NYC’s low-income communities. Continue reading “Save the Date – FitCity 10”

At the 2015 AIA Grassroots Leadership and Legislative Conference in Washington, DC, 03.04.15-03.06.15, participants were empowered to become messengers. During this “year of the advocate,” AIA National continues its repositioning campaign in an effort to better serve AIA members and the general public. This period of self-improvement involves refocusing advocacy efforts on issues that matter most to the membership, including assisting communities through design, advancing the 2030 sustainability goals, and increasing diversity. Through these initiatives, the AIA is working to raise the organization’s profile throughout the U.S. and internationally. A new board structure has also allowed the organization the ability to make smarter and swifter decisions. Keynote speakers Jonah Berger and Liz Ogbu and seminar panelists highlighted the often overlooked importance of effective communication when designing. Continue reading “AIA on the Hill: Grassroots 2015”

Nancy Aber Goshow, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, is a citizen architect. By participating in civic dialogues of citywide importance and engaging policy makers on issues that matter to architects and the general public alike, Goshow uses her expertise to influence positive change in the built environment. Continue reading “Citizen Architect: Getting Your Voice Heard”

The AIA New York Chapter offers expertise on projects of citywide significance and city policy initiatives with input and recommendations on numerous issues. Over the past week, representatives of AIANY presented testimony at two important hearings. Continue reading “Overheard at Hearings”

At the Association for a Better New York (ABNY) breakfast meeting on 01.20.15, Governor Cuomo announced part of his “2015 Opportunity Agenda” – a plan to update New York’s infrastructure. He addressed initiatives to modernize New York’s airports, expand public transportation, and invest in statewide infrastructure repairs and maintenance.

One of Cuomo’s priorities for 2015 is to address the need to overhaul New York’s regional airports. In addition to finding ways to link the area airports together, the governor launched a Master Plan Design Competition to reimagine LaGuardia and JFK airports. He compiled a seven-member committee to advise him and the Port Authority on the top airport redesigns. See the complete list of panelists and design criteria here. Continue reading “2015 Opportunity Agenda: Restoring Economic Opportunity”

In 2014, NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled his administration’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80% over 2005 levels by 2050. Almost 75% of NYC’s emissions come from buildings, so the proposed retrofits would dramatically reduce citywide emissions. To reach this goal, architects need to get on board and AIANY is preparing to help. Continue reading “Environmentalism at the Forefront”

There are 207 branch libraries in New York City, divided between three different library systems – New York, Queens, and Brooklyn. The systems, however, share similar missions and thus face similar challenges. In September 2014, the Center for an Urban Future (CUF) released the Re-envisioning New York’s Branch Libraries report, which unveils many structural and programmatic issues that these libraries face, and recommends ways to address them. CUF and the Architectural League solicited design studies from six interdisciplinary teams to respond to the report and expand on possibilities for the future of NYC’s libraries. Continue reading “Lobbying for Libraries”

Mayor Bill de Blasio has pledged to make New York a more equitable city through a series of significant socially-minded programs for NYC’s residents and industries, including universal pre-K expansion, carbon emission reduction, affordable housing development, and transportation upgrades. AIANY supports these efforts, and knows that in every aspect of the public realm, equity cannot be accomplished without design in mind.

On 12.01.14, AIANY President Lance Jay Brown, FAIA, AIANY President-elect Tomas Rossant, AIA, and AIANY Executive Director Rick Bell, FAIA, met with Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Alicia Glen. In addition to discussing the mayor’s primary initiatives and how AIANY can help complete them, Glen had questions for the AIANY community that directly relate to the work she is doing with the mayor and city agency heads. She is laser focused on finding ways for NYC to build and live more efficiently. Continue reading “Equitable Efficiency”