Van Alen Block Party 2021

Dear friends,

Thank you to everyone who came out and made Van Alen Institute’s inaugural Block Party in Gowanus an incredible success.

Since becoming Van Alen’s Board Chair last spring, I’ve been inspired by our team’s commitment to creating equitable cities through inclusive design. At the heart of this ambitious mission is a passion to create joyful, welcoming public spaces that truly serve their communities. And as you can see in the video above, that’s exactly what we experienced all day long.

A special, heartfelt thank you to all of the performers, vendors, artists, volunteers and generous sponsors who came together to create an exceptional day. I couldn’t be happier that Van Alen is part of such a caring community here in Gowanus.

Carla Swickerath
Chair, Van Alen Board
Partner, Studio Libeskind

Click any photo to enlarge!