Brooklyn Architecture: Where the environment shapes design and designers shape the environment.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DECEMBER 6, 2023
The Brooklyn Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Brooklyn) announced today the 11 winners of the 2023 Brooklyn Design Awards.
Each of the 11 selected projects was granted either an award of “Excellence”, “Merit” or received a “Commendation” which reflects the project’s design excellence, technical skill, innovation, environmental responsiveness, and/or social impact. Program eligibility was anchored by geography, as all projects must have been based in Brooklyn or completed by Brooklyn architects/designers. The winners range from small-scale architectural activations to large-scale urban interventions. Nearly three-quarters of this year’s winning projects are situated in Brooklyn, while the remaining accolades went to Brooklyn architects with work located in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Texas, underscoring their significant influence and reach across various regions.
The Brooklyn Design Awards program proudly spotlights Brooklyn as a singular, dynamic hub of creativity and innovation. The borough stands as a beacon for architects and designers, offering a wealth of resources, knowledge, and an unmatched collective energy. Brooklyn presents an intriguing contrast: it is densely populated yet largely composed of low-rise buildings, fostering a community where both individuality and a civic-minded, collaborative spirit flourish. This environment is a fertile ground for a multidisciplinary, truly diverse creative network. It attracts artists, makers, and lifelong learners committed to building a better world. In Brooklyn, the environment influences design, and designers are acutely conscious of their role and responsibility in shaping their surroundings.
“Brooklyn is unique—a true anomaly as an urban locale—resulting in architecture and design as diverse and distinctive as the extraordinary people creating it,” says Jason Boutin, 2023 Brooklyn Design Awards Committee Chair and partner at The Brooklyn Studio, as he congratulates everyone at AIA Brooklyn for their exceptional work and encourages continuous improvement in creating high-performing, sustainable buildings.
2023 BROOKLYN DESIGN AWARDS JURORS
The esteemed jury of this year’s Brooklyn Design Awards 2023 is an eclectic and accomplished group of professionals encompassing architects, educators, designers, and planners. Hailing from both Brooklyn and beyond, these members brought a rich tapestry of expertise to the program, ranging from specialized knowledge to broad, creative generalism. This multidisciplinary panel approach mirrors the vibrant architectural and design landscape of Brooklyn itself.
● Jing Liu, Co-founder and Principal, SO-IL; IDC Fellow and MS.Arch. Coordinator, Pratt Institute
● Michael Oatman, Artist; Faculty Member, School of Architecture, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
● Andrea Mason RA, Founder and Principal, Andrea Mason / Architect
● Johannes Knoops, Professor of Interior Design, Fashion Institute of Technology/SUNY
● Janet Fink AIA LEED AP, Partner, Fink & Platt Architects; Interim Executive Director, Institute for Public Architecture (IPA); M.Arch Program Instructor, New York Institute of Technology
AWARD RECIPIENTS
EXCELLENCE (2)
11 Hoyt
Architect(s): Studio Gang, Hill West
*BEST IN COMPETITION
Narrow House
Architect: Only If
COMMENDATION (4)
for Climate Action
Climate Sustainability Exhibition
Architect: In Cho
for Use of Timber
Brooklyn Mass Timber Carriage House
Architect(s): Schiller Projects; Acheson Doyle Architects
for Adaptive Reuse
Arts and Letters Creative Co.
Architect: ARCHITECTUREFIRM
for Thoughtful Design with
Economy of Means DEI Center
Architect: Studio Modh Architecture
MERIT (5)
1 Willoughby Square
Architect: FXCollaborative
gair
Architect: Jeshua Paone Architecture Studio
Promenade Office and Retail
Architect: MODU
Prospect Trace: Transforming an Expressways into Civic Space
Architect(s): Civic Architecture Workshop, David Cunningham Architecture Planning
Z House
Architect: Light and Air Architecture
ABOUT AIA BROOKLYN
The Brooklyn Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Brooklyn) is an organization founded in 1894. With over 1200 members, it is the second largest chapter in New York State. AIA Brooklyn is dedicated to the advancement of the architectural profession through education, outreach, and mutual support.
INFORMATION, IMAGES and INSTAGRAM
For more information about AIA Brooklyn visit www.aiabrooklyn.org
Contact: Jason Boutin | secretary@aiabrooklyn | Connect on Instagram: @aiabrooklyn
Download high-resolution images here