TOPIC
Design
Vacant Lots: Then and Now
In 1987, the League launched a design study to examine the potential of small-scale infill housing to contribute to the city’s affordable housing portfolio. We look back at what was proposed, and what was built instead.
From Waiting Rooms to Resource Hubs: Designing Change at the Department of Probation
Laura Kurgan describes an integrated, systemic design process for the largest alternative-to-incarceration program in the country.
Field Trip: United Palace Theatre
On 175th Street, a "Wonder Theater" rises seven stories from the street.
Low-Rise, High-Density Housing: A Contemporary View of Marcus Garvey Park Village
40 years after its construction, Karen Kubey revisits Marcus Garvey Park Village in Brownsville, Brooklyn, a revealing example of the design philosophies and policy priorities behind low-rise, high-density housing.
Civic Action Charrette
Thirteen designers and planners spend an afternoon with the League and the Noguchi Museum, drawing and thinking about how to advance a holistic, culture-led vision of Long Island City's possible futures.
The Speculation Studio: Governors Island, The Sixth Borough?
Laurie Hawkinson shares student work and discusses the meanings of 'speculation', collaborations between architecture and real estate students, and the return of big ideas.
Arts for Transit: A Conversation with Sandra Bloodworth
The director of an MTA program to bring visual art and performance to New York City's public transportation system talks about activating spaces of infrastructure, improving rider experience and harnessing the power of public art.
Gary Hustwit's Urbanized
Gary Hustwit, director of design documentaries Helvetica and Objectified, talks about his latest film, a global exploration of the individuals, projects and forces that shape our cities.
Gowanus Lowline: Connections
David Briggs and Anthony Deen share the winning designs from the first of a series of competitions that address the challenges of developing contaminated urban areas.