14th Annual Archtober Festival Explores NYC’s Architectural Future in 2024

Archtober, New York City’s beloved architecture and design festival, returns for its 14th year, bringing together over 100 participating organizations. From October 1 through October 31, 2024, architecture enthusiasts, designers, urban planners, and the public will be treated to more than 400 events across the city’s five boroughs. This year’s theme, Tracing the Future, highlights the importance of sustainable design, affordable housing, and innovative infrastructure in shaping the future of urban landscapes.

Launched in 2023, the festival’s annual theme continues to grow, allowing for deeper exploration of pressing urban issues. In 2024, Tracing the Future encourages participants to reflect on how architectural choices made today will influence the city’s future. “This year’s festival is a call to action for innovators and creatives to rethink established practices and explore new possibilities in improving our built environment,” said Katie Mullen, Director of Archtober and the Center for Architecture’s Director of Exhibitions and Programs. Mullen emphasizes the need for collective efforts to design inclusive and sustainable spaces that foster collaboration and innovation.

Throughout October, attendees can engage in a wide variety of discussions, exhibitions, and activities that cover diverse aspects of architecture and design. One notable event, Indigeneity and Traditional Ecological Knowledge in Spatial Practices, co-developed with the Indigenous Society of Architecture, Planning, and Design (ISAPD), will be held on Thursday, October 10. This event underscores the critical importance of Indigenous perspectives in modern architectural practices, offering a more inclusive approach to spatial design.

The festival will also host the panel discussion Tracing the Future: Affordable Housing in NYC on Monday, October 21, at the Center for Architecture. This panel will feature award-winning affordable housing projects, providing valuable insights into how thoughtful architectural design can address one of New York’s most pressing challenges: housing affordability.

A series of prominent exhibitions will be featured throughout the festival. Goethe-Institut New York’s UMBAU. Nonstop Transformation, which opens on October 9, showcases over 60 ecological projects from Gerkan, Marg, and Partners (gmp). These projects reflect a conceptual approach to transformation in architecture, focusing on reimagining and repurposing existing structures for sustainability. At the Center for Architecture, the exhibition Built by New York will open on October 1, spotlighting the work of architects and design professionals from across the city. The exhibition provides a comprehensive snapshot of New York City’s architecture, past, present, and future, as imagined by members of AIA New York, AIA Brooklyn, AIA Bronx, AIA Staten Island, and AIA Queens.

One of Archtober’s most popular events, Building of the Day, will return with daily architect-led tours showcasing some of New York City’s most intriguing projects. Highlights include the Bronx River Greenway/Starlight Park by NV5, the Domino Sugar Refinery by Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU), the Gansevoort Peninsula at Hudson River Park by Field Operations and nARCHITECTS, and the newly restored Lever House by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). These tours offer a unique opportunity for the public to engage with buildings that have transformed the city’s landscape.

Adding a touch of festive fun, the annual Pumpkitecture event returns on October 30. This whimsical competition sees architects carving pumpkins in creative and inventive ways, competing for the coveted Pritzkerpumpkin prize. The event is a lighthearted yet competitive highlight of the month, blending Halloween spirit with architectural imagination.

Festival-goers can also enjoy a variety of merchandise from the Archtober Shop, which offers everything from stylish t-shirts and fanny packs to baseball caps and socks. The shop’s new designs for 2024 will soon be available, so attendees can explore the city in style.

A key digital feature of this year’s festival is the Archtober Guide on Bloomberg Connects, a free arts and culture app developed by Bloomberg Philanthropies. The guide provides access to exclusive interviews with architects and landscape architects, offering deeper insights into both historical and contemporary projects that are shaping New York City. The app also features a comprehensive map of partner institutions, ensuring visitors can easily navigate between the many events and exhibitions throughout the city.

Archtober 2024 offers a robust platform for celebrating the ingenuity of New York City’s design community while engaging with broader themes of sustainability, affordability, and inclusivity. From expert panels to interactive tours, the festival invites participants to rethink how architecture can shape a more equitable and sustainable future for all.