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About What We Build
What We Build celebrates the work of architects, designers, and affiliated professionals in the New York City design community. Past, current, and future work from members of AIA New York, AIA Brooklyn, AIA Bronx, AIA Staten Island, and AIA Queens will take over three floors of the Center for Architecture galleries, providing a snapshot of our community’s impact on the city and the built environment at large.
What We Build will also mark the conclusion of the 20th anniversary celebrations at the Center for Architecture. Submitted work must be completed within the past 20 years or look ahead to the next 20 years.
The submissions can be works of all scales and types—small, large, commercial, residential, public, private, interiors, historic preservation, engineering, landscape, urban design, un-built competition entries, theoretical projects, and design research—representing the scope and quality of work being done both at home in NYC and abroad.
Graphic Design: Once–Future Office
About the Center for Architecture 20th Anniversary
Over the past 20 years the Center for Architecture has helped AIA New York grow from roughly 3,000 members to over 5,000, allowing us to reach hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers and families. We’ve presented almost 240 exhibitions to the public. From Archtober, exhibitions, and education, to public lectures, tours, and more, the Center for Architecture has built a remarkable public-facing legacy in our city. We look forward to advancing and influencing the dialogue about architecture’s place in our society with the public, design enthusiasts, architects, and designers.
In the next 20 years, we want to broaden and deepen our legacy by reaching more communities. By bringing together both people who create architecture and those who experience architecture, we hope to create meaningful partnerships with people and groups who have not always felt heard and included in architecture and design.
About American Institute of Architects New York
Founded in 1857, AIA New York is the oldest and largest chapter of the American Institute of Architects with 5,000 architect, allied professional, associate, emeritus, corresponding, international associate, corporate, student, and public members. AIANY is committed to positively impacting the physical and social qualities of our city, while promoting policies beneficial to the welfare of our members.
PROCESS / DEADLINES
Submissions Open: April 9, 2024
Submissions Close: June 12, 2024
REQUEST FOR SUBMISSIONS
What We Build will exhibit images submitted by architects and designers. Each image will have a corresponding project title and project credits.
Each firm or individual practitioner can submit up to five projects to What We Build. Firms and individuals cannot submit more than one photo per project.
Each submission must include the project's image, title, project team credits, location, and year to be included in What We Build.
Type of Work:
- Built Project
- Under Construction Project
- Speculative Project
- Design Research Project
Size of Work:
Images of work can be submitted at the following sizes and orientation ratios:
Small: $200
- Square - 1:1
- Vertical - 1:2
- Horizontal - 2:1
Medium: $275
- Square - 2:2
- Vertical - 2:4
- Horizontal - 4:2
Large: $400
- Square - 3:3
- Vertical - 3:5
- Horizontal - 5:3
Please note: We will not be providing the scale that the images will be printed at. All exact dimensions will be dependent on final gallery layout once all submissions have been reviewed.
All completed submissions will be exhibited at the Center for Architecture’s galleries at 536 LaGuardia Place, New York, NY 10012.
PROJECT CREDITS
The architect or firm of record, associate architects, project team, consultants, clients, and general contractor must be credited. Client names will be withheld from publication upon request.
For restoration, renovation, and adaptive reuse of existing buildings, the original architect must be identified.
Required Registered Number for Architect-of-Record for built work.
ELIGIBILITY
Who is eligible to submit?
One person at the firm must be a member of any New York City-based AIA chapters listed above. Eligible member categories include:
AIA Member
AIA Associate Member*
AIA International Associate Member*
AIANY Allied, Corresponding, Corporate or Student Members*
*Entries not submitted by a Registered Architect must credit the Architect of Record where applicable.
During the submission process, entrants will be required to confirm that all necessary permissions from the project’s design lead and owners/client to participate in the exhibition have been obtained as well.
What projects are eligible?
All built projects must have been completed after January 1, 2003.
All completed New York State-based projects must credit the New York State licensed architect of record.
Projects can be located anywhere in the world.
Projects can be speculative work or design research.
Projects can be unbuilt competition entries.
Firms and individuals cannot submit more than one photo per project.
REQUIREMENTS
Firms must submit the following items in their submission:
One (1) image per Submission, formatted to fit a chosen size and orientation.
- Size Options - Small, Medium, or Large
- Size options determine the size the image will be shown on the gallery wall
- Orientation Options - Square, Horizontal, or Vertical
- Orientation options determine the layout and design of the exhibition
All Images Must:
- All images should be at 300 dpi at the ratio selected for the submission and saved as .jpg, .png, or .tiff files.
- Each image should consist of one (1) photograph, drawing, or rendering with NO ADDITIONAL TEXT OR FORMATTING. Composed project boards will not be accepted. No watermarks are permitted.
- AIANY will use a standard format for each project’s accompanying credits. Please include a signed and completed Image Release Form with your submission.
Image Release
Each project submission must include the image release form filled out for the image submitted.
Project Credits per Submission
- Title of project
- Year of completion, projected year of completion, or indicate if it is speculative or design research
- Location
- Project Team
Please only submit firm names, do not submit individual names
FEES
- Small: $200
- Medium: $275
- Large: $400
Orientation does not affect fee. Fee is per-project submission.
REGISTRATION
After creating an account on the submission portal, entrants will be prompted to enter project information. All submissions from a single firm should be submitted under one username.
Entrants will then be prompted to pay the non-refundable per-project submission fee. Due to space limitations, all projects submissions that meet eligibility criteria will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no selection jury. A single firm may submit up to five projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can a firm submit multiple projects?
A: Yes. Firms may submit a maximum of five projects.
Q: Will refunds be issued if I decide not to participate after registering?
A: All project submissions are final; no refunds will be issued after payment has been made.
Q: Is there a release form that needs to be filled out for projects to be displayed?
A: AIA New York requires entrants to complete, sign, and upload the Image Release Form.
VIDEO SUBMISSION FOR WHAT WE BUILD (OPTIONAL)
In conjunction with the exhibition, we invite you to submit a short video (up to 3 files) that could be used alongside the exhibition (social media, web). Your video(s) should:
- Be 90 seconds or shorter
- Vertical video is preferred
- Use good lighting and a steady camera to create the highest quality video possible, even if shot on your mobile phone
- Anyone speaking on camera should identify themselves by saying their:
- Name
- Title
- Firm
Your video(s) can be about:
- A memorable experience or program at the Center for Architecture
- Sharing your experience of working in NYC during the last 20 years
- Looking ahead, what do you predict for the future of NYC in the next 20 years?
- Other: anything you feel is relevant to the exhibition content and that you’d like to share!