2025–26 Impact Report

Last year’s Bond Street Bash served as my warm welcome to Van Alen Institute; this year, it marks the completion of my first year leading this incredible community. Looking back, I am filled with pride for what we’ve built and immense enthusiasm for the road ahead.

In the past year, we’ve doubled down on our commitment to community-led design. From activating the public realm through projects like Friends from the Canal in Gowanus and Los Círculos in Washington Heights, to building the capacity of emerging civic leaders through our Design District Fellowship, we are proving that inclusive processes yield more resilient cities.

Our Urban Room at 303 Bond Street has become livelier than ever, as we engage with students from elementary to graduate levels on collaborative projects and research. The inaugural Van Alen Vanguard — a cohort of 21 rising professionals reimagining the designer’s role in civic life — has also brought transformative energy to the Urban Room as they reconfigure it as a site for exhibition-making, knowledge-sharing, and debate.

We’re also looking inward to craft our trajectory forward. We’re now deep into researching Van Alen’s archive — rediscovering, interrogating, and preserving more than 130 years of architectural history. These learnings form the foundation for a globally-informed approach to citymaking, which we’ll explore through relaunching Van Alen’s storied Paris Prize with a 21st century outlook and embarking on international learning expeditions, beginning in Kigali, Rwanda.

With a deepening vision for equitable citymaking, we are just getting started. Thank you to our Board, supporters, and collaborators. To those just joining us: Welcome to the fold. Let’s create the future of the public realm, together.