Archive

1. Los Círculos team receives Lumen Award 

   June 22, 2026 5:01 pm Comments Off on Los Círculos team receives Lumen Award 

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   We’re thrilled to share that Los Círculos has been recognized with a 2026 Lumen Citation Award in the Public Space Activation category. Organized by the New York City Section of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IESNYC), the Lumen Awards celebrate projects that demonstrate excellence in design, technical achievement, and the transformative power of light. IESNYC honored this year’ recipients at the 58th Annual Lumen Gala, held on June 18, 2026 at Pier 60 at Chelsea Piers. Read more about the event in Inside Lighting.

   Jury member Burr Rutledge of Kugler Ning Lighting noted, “With its artistic abstraction, the lighting relates directly to the people and the place, gives the public space a clear and meaningful presence, and addresses safety and equity in an underserved area.”

   On view through July 2026 at Plaza de las Americas and David Friedland Square, Los Círculos is inspired by how people form circles for dancing, celebration, and gathering. This multi-site lighting installation aims to increase a sense of joy, unity, and belonging in Washington Heights. Los Círculos is designed by Marvel and produced by Community League of the Heights (CLOTH) and Van Alen Institute, in collaboration with a coalition of neighborhood organizations and design experts.

   The full project team includes:

   • Producers: Community League of the Heights, Van Alen Institute
   • Designer: Marvel
   • Lighting Designer: Buro Happold
   • Structural Engineer: TYLin
   • Fabricator: A05 Studio
   • Community Partners: Columbia University Irving Medical Center, Juan Pablo Duarte Foundation, NewYork-Presbyterian, Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance, United Palace
   • City Partners: NYC Department of Small Business Services, NYC Department of Transportation, NYC Department of Parks

   Learn more

   Related Projects

   

   Common Build

   Archive

   Los Círculos

   On view October 1, 2025–July 31, 2026, this award-winning lighting installation encourages gathering and interaction in Washington Heights.

   See Project

   

   Ongoing

   Common Build

   Surfacing the work of emerging designers and testing new strategies to bring people together in public space.

   See Project

2. Photos: Creatures from the Canal block party

   June 20, 2026 1:13 pm Comments Off on Photos: Creatures from the Canal block party

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   Well, we did it! When artist duo Mookntaka first responded to our open call for a public design project in Gowanus, they envisioned their Friends from the Canal on the water at some point. We all agreed: this had to happen.

   On Saturday, April 20, we pulled together with our neighbors Arts Gowanus, Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club, The Shop BK, and Council Member Shahana Hanif’s office to host the Creatures of the Canal block party. This day of cross-canal connections celebrated the reopening of the Carroll Street Bridge. Built in 1899 and closed for repairs since 2021, the Carroll Street Bridge is one of the city’s oldest, and one of only four retractable bridges remaining in the US. We marked the occasion with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Council Member Hanif, art activities, a costume contest, and much more fun.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   And to close out the event, Mookntaka and the Dredgers paddled the Friends along the Gowanus Canal, to everyone’s absolute delight. We’re so grateful to the Dredgers for their willingness to help and ingenuity to make it work, and to everyone to participated, stopped by, and contributed to the festivities.

   Learn more

   Related Projects

   

   Common Build

   Ongoing

   Friends from the Canal

   On view through August, these inflatable, illuminated sculptures by artist duo Mookntaka are a playful welcome to Gowanus.

   See Project

   

   Ongoing

   Common Build

   Surfacing the work of emerging designers and testing new strategies to bring people together in public space.

   See Project

3. Photos: NOT NOT Opening

   June 18, 2026 12:45 pm Comments Off on Photos: NOT NOT Opening

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   Thank you everyone who joined us for the opening of NOT NOT! As promised, it was not not a party. We blurred the lines between office space and exhibition venue, again transforming our Urban Room into something new entirely.

   This unusual exhibition is part display, part working studio. NOT NOT founders Ekin Bilal and Celia Chaussabel are working out of our storefront through the summer as they launch their new design practice. You’re welcome to enter their space, learn about their past projects, and engage with them as they work.

   NOT NOT is on view through August 15, Monday–Thursday, 10 am–6 pm. Click here for more info on the exhibition and more extended weekend hours.

   Learn more

   Related Projects

   

   Urban Room

   Archive

   NOT NOT: An Office, An Exhibition

   On view June 18–August 15, 2026, Van Alen transformed into an exhibition and temporary office space of the newly-launched design studio NOT NOT.

   See Project

   

   Ongoing

   Van Alen Vanguard

   A cohort of rising professionals reimagining cities, public space, and designers’ roles in civic life.

   See Project

   

   Ongoing

   Urban Room

   Using our HQ to host public programs and as a flexible community space.

   See Project

4. Join us at the Bond Street Bash 2026!

   April 29, 2026 11:39 am Comments Off on Join us at the Bond Street Bash 2026!

   

   Bond Street Bash 2026

   Thursday, June 4, 7–10 pm
   Van Alen Institute
   303 Bond Street, Brooklyn

   Convene with Van Alen’s entire community to celebrate our shared values and work toward more equitable citymaking. Uniting architects, artists, activists, policymakers, and community leaders, Van Alen will recognize the achievements we’ve been able to make together. ​Please join us in this celebration of design excellence at Van Alen’s Urban Room.

   Get tickets

   For questions and details regarding sponsorship, student tickets, or artist rates, please reach out to Kate Overbeck, koverbeck@vanalen.org.

   Honorees

   Each year, Van Alen honors community leaders, design partners, and changemakers aligned with our mission to create more equitable cities. Join us at the Bash to celebrate their vision, work, and impact.

   

   NEXUS AWARD
   Justin Garrett Moore
   Program Director, Humanities in Place, Mellon Foundation

   Justin Garrett Moore advances citymaking rooted in justice, inclusion, and shared power. He’s built the Mellon Foundation’s Humanities in Place program into a national force for equity, following 15 years shaping NYC’s public realm through city government. As he transforms the institutions shaping our cities, he consistently centers the voices, histories, and communities too often excluded from design. Justin’s leadership has redefined who design serves.

   

   TORCHBEARER AWARD
   Carla Swickerath
   Partner, Studio Libeskind

   Carla Swickerath has spent more than two decades leading some of the most complex and consequential architectural projects of our time, while advancing a design approach that emphasizes memory, community, and meaningful urban transformation. A longtime champion of Van Alen, Carla has brought a strong commitment to equity and community-centered design while challenging us to act with greater intention and boldness.

   

   COMMUNITY CATALYST AWARD
   Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez
   Executive Director, Office of Street Vendor Services, NYC Department of Small Business Services

   Carina Kaufman-Gutierrez shines new light on the immigrant communities that make our city vibrant. Her advocacy and legislative victories while leading Street Vendor Project paved the way for the newly-created Office of Street Vendor Services within the NYC Department of Small Business Services. We know Carina will lead this office with deep integrity and her longstanding commitment to all those who call New York City home.

   Get tickets

   Sponsorship

   

   Van Alen Staff

   Kate Overbeck

   Director of Strategic Partnerships

   Email

5. Photos: Unveiling of Friends from the Canal

   April 22, 2026 4:13 pm Comments Off on Photos: Unveiling of Friends from the Canal

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   On April 22, we had such a magical evening celebrating Mookntaka and their Friends from the Canal. We visited each Friend to watch them officially emerge into the neighborhood, and toasted this wonderful project back at Van Alen HQ. (Special shout out to the custom colorful monkey bread from Cafe Mars – so on theme!)

   Created by Mookntaka, Friends from the Canal responds to Gowanus’ state of flux. As the area transforms, this installation imagines friendly, curious creatures emerging from the Gowanus Canal to investigate the commotion and meet their neighbors. Be sure to visit each Friend the next time you’re nearby:

   • Cafe Mars, 272 3rd Ave at President St (map)
   • Union Channel at Gowanus Wharf, 240 3rd Ave at Union St (map)
   • Wyckoff Gardens, 1987 Nevins St at Warren St (map)

   Learn more

   In the News

   Press

   NYCHA Journal

   Temporary Art Installation at Wyckoff Gardens That Will Make You Smile

   Read More

   Press

   Art Hag NYC

   Mookntaka | Friends of the Canal

   Read More

   Related Projects

   

   Common Build

   Ongoing

   Friends from the Canal

   On view through August, these inflatable, illuminated sculptures by artist duo Mookntaka are a playful welcome to Gowanus.

   See Project

   

   Ongoing

   Common Build

   Surfacing the work of emerging designers and testing new strategies to bring people together in public space.

   See Project

6. Photos: The House Transformed opening reception

   February 26, 2026 5:12 pm Comments Off on Photos: The House Transformed opening reception

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   On February 24, friends new and old ventured out after a historic blizzard to celebrate The House Transformed.

   On view at Van Alen Institute through May 22, The House Transformed presents new ideas for domestic architecture. Featuring participants from local and global contexts, the exhibition rejects conventional notions of nuclear family and a “one-size-fits-all” approach to the house. These models and drawings explore alternative concepts for collective living, multigenerational households, and caregiving.

   The exhibition debuted at the Princeton University School of Architecture and is curated by Mónica Ponce de León with Shoshana Torn and Massimo Giannone.

   Learn more

   In the News

   Press

   The Architect’s Newspaper

   The House Transformed, an exhibition curated by Mónica Ponce de León, opens at Van Alen Institute

   Read More

   Related Projects

   

   Urban Room

   Archive

   Exhibition: The House Transformed

   On view in Spring 2026, The House Transformed presented new ideas for domestic architecture.

   See Project

   

   Ongoing

   Urban Room

   Using our HQ to host public programs and as a flexible community space.

   See Project

7. Photos: What Language Leaves Behind

   February 24, 2026 10:46 am Comments Off on Photos: What Language Leaves Behind

   What Language Leaves Behind: Integrating Graphics and Architecture

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   On February 19, 2026, we gathered at Van Alen Institute for an evening of conversation and discourse on interdisciplinary design practice with Taylor Loutsis, Studio Loutsis; Joshua Ramus, REX; and Craig Dykers, Snøhetta.

   Moderated by journalist Diana Budds, panelists discussed how shared values around community, integration, and cross-disciplinary partnership are central to their successful collaborative projects.

   ​This event was curated by the Van Alen Vanguard, a dynamic network of emerging design leaders. Diana Budds and Taylor Loutsis are among the inaugural cohort developing public programs and exhibitions that reimagine designers’ roles in civic life and center equity, resilience, and local knowledge.

   Related Projects

   

   Ongoing

   Van Alen Vanguard

   A cohort of rising professionals reimagining cities, public space, and designers’ roles in civic life.

   See Project

   

   Ongoing

   Urban Room

   Using our HQ to host public programs and as a flexible community space.

   See Project

8. Photos: Announcing the Van Alen Vanguard

   January 13, 2026 2:18 pm Comments Off on Photos: Announcing the Van Alen Vanguard

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   Van Alen Institute is thrilled to announce the Van Alen Vanguard: a dynamic network of 21 emerging leaders committed to civic life and design. Throughout the year, they’ll engage in collaborative learning projects that further their practices and reimagine designers’ roles in civic life. Activating our space at Gowanus, they’ll also develop events and exhibitions that center equity, resilience, and local knowledge in design.

   Learn more

   2026 Members

   Farida Abu-Bakare
   Associate Principal and Director of Global Practice, WXY

   Annie Barrett
   Founding Principal, Aanda Architects
   Senior Critic, Yale School of Architecture

   Francesca Bastianini
   Co-Founder and Principal, Sighte Studio

   Ekin Bilal
   Co-Founder, NOT NOT
   Visiting Critic, Cornell AAP

   Diana Budds
   Journalist

   Pamela Cabrera
   Senior Associate, Transsolar KlimaEngineering

   Celia Chaussabel
   Co-Founder, NOT NOT
   Reyner Banham Teaching Fellow, University at Buffalo

   Justin Den Herder
   Vice President and Principal, TYLin

   Curry J. Hackett
   Clinical Assistant Professor, NYU Steinhardt

   Jerome Haferd
   Founder, JEROME HAFERD Studio

   Ekene Ijeoma
   Founder, Black Forest
   Founder, Studio Ijeoma

   Dione Lee
   Senior Designer, HUSH Studios

   Taylor Loutsis
   Creative Director and Founder, Studio Loutsis

   Benjamin Meade
   Senior Design Director, Alloy Development

   Daniel Pittman
   Partner, TAD

   Sanjukta Sen
   Landscape and Architectural Designer, Field Operations

   Clara Syme
   Co-Director, a83

   Hermona Tamrat
   Founding Principal, hgt studio

   Paula Vilaplana
   Curatorial Associate, MoMA
   Instructor, Syracuse University School of Architecture

   Charlotte Wessell
   Director of Development, GSAPP

   Learn more

9. Double your impact: Your donation matched, dollar-for-dollar

   December 8, 2025 10:12 am Comments Off on Double your impact: Your donation matched, dollar-for-dollar

   Your support. Doubled. This week, we hope you’ll Double Down on your support of designers and community leaders coming together to solve public space challenges.

   Every donation through December 14 supports a more just and vibrant city through the power of design shaped by local knowledge and care — and is matched dollar-for-dollar up to $10,000 thanks to the generous support of Van Alen Board Chair May Lee.

   Whether you give $10 or $1,000, you’re part of a community committed to designing a better future for our city.

   Our end-of-year campaign is also your last chance to snag our special edition Van Alen merch. When you donate December 8–14, choose a special edition tote, tee, or set of magnets featuring stunning design proposals from our archive. Limited stock left — once they’re gone, they’re gone!

10. Albany Hive Wins Three Prizes at 2025 SEGD Awards

    November 18, 2025 10:39 am Comments Off on Albany Hive Wins Three Prizes at 2025 SEGD Awards

    Albany Hive Wins Three Prizes at 2025 SEGD Awards

    

    

    

    

    Albany Hive received three awards at the 2025 SEGD Global Design Awards, which honor design excellence that connects people to place through storytelling, meaning, and impact. Since 1987, the SEGD Global Design Awards have celebrated innovative projects shaping how people engage with the built environment. This year, SEGD received 284 entries from 151 firms, with 30 projects ultimately selected for awards. “Winning projects highlight the breadth of our community—from deeply researched approaches that prove design’s impact beyond beauty, to work that advances equity, sustainability, and a more connected world,” said SEGD CEO Cybelle Jones.

    Albany Hive (“the Hive“) is a collaboration between 518 SNUG, Albany & Troy Lions Club, Albany Victory Gardens, Bridge Tha Gap, the City of Albany, Grateful Villages, Rensselaer School of Architecture, Stantec, The Urban Conga, and Van Alen Institute.

    This uplifting new shared space on a city-owned alley at Quail St and 1st St in the city’s West Hill neighborhood. Co-designed with West Hill residents, the Hive reflects the alley’s function as a community hub, buzzing with locally-led activities. Six beehive-inspired sculptures in vibrant blue and yellow will include built-in seating elements and polycarbonate panels to host community-made artwork. They’re paired with new planters and swales that help absorb rainwater and an enhanced pathway with improved lighting, access, and drainage.

    At the 2025 SEGD Awards, the Hive received three honors:

    • Sylvia Harris Award, recognizing designs that exemplify an unerring commitment to improve the civic experience—advancing social impact through community engagement, equity, and accessibility
    • Life-Centered Design Award, honoring one project that demonstrates exceptional leadership in advancing environmental stewardship, equity, and human well-being through design—embodying SEGD’s commitment to a more sustainable and inclusive world
    • Merit Award, acknowledging artful conception and creative solutions in experience design projects

    The jury noted that “The Hive is well-deserving of the Sylvia Harris Award, designed by and for the community and brought to life by vibrant programming which catalyzes change in the low-income neighborhood. The design is also thoughtful with a modular system, allowing for a great range of activities to take place on these platforms.”

    They added, “The Hive is a testament to the power of community organizing and local leadership in communities where quality design is often deprioritized. This project demonstrates the best use of resources, personifying ‘a lot with a little’—resulting in a high-quality place and design. This project is worthy of the Sylvia Harris Award for its clear social impact, the physical transformation of the site, and the integration of cultural and natural beauty for the community.”

    Congratulations to our Hive coalition for this well-deserved honor!

    Learn more about Albany Hive