The following is an Aug. 10 press release from The Architectural League of New York and the New York State Council on the Arts naming the recipients of their 2022 Architecture + Design Independent Projects Grants.
Eighteen New York State designers have been awarded Independent Projects Grants from The Architectural League of New York and the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA). Representing a range of design disciplines and locations throughout New York State, the proposals were selected by a panel of design experts to receive awards of $10,000 each.
Independent Projects is a competitive grant program that is open to New Yorkers working in design fields, including architecture, landscape architecture, historic preservation, community-centered design, fashion, graphic, industrial, and interior design. Recognizing design as an art form that can enhance our quality of life, the program seeks proposals that emphasize artistry and design excellence, that may contribute to a broader understanding of design, and/or that advance a design discipline. Critically, design must be at the core of any proposal, and the outcome must be accessible to the public.
During the 2022 cycle, 113 applications were submitted for year-long design and research projects.
A panel composed of seven designers and educators in architecture, industrial design, preservation and history, and urban design evaluated entries to select 18 projects for funding. The funded projects reflect the variety of the entries the program received this year: they encompass different disciplines and modes of practice, and will take many different forms when completed. The projects engage locales and communities all across New York.
The Independent Projects grant program has been offered by NYSCA for many years, requiring individuals to find and apply through sponsoring organizations. In 2022, The Architectural League and NYSCA launched a new partnership to jointly administer the program, with all applicants submitting proposals directly to the League. Grant awards are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
Of the new partnership, NYSCA Executive Director Mara Manus said, “Working with The Architectural League, NYSCA funding will reach more architects and designers in more communities across the State than ever before. Our creative sector powers our state’s robust arts economy and recovery which is crucial to the health and wellness of New Yorkers in every county. On behalf of the entire NYSCA team—congratulations to all the grantees.” League Executive Director Rosalie Genevro said, “New York State designers are working on a fascinating range of creative projects that expand the boundaries of practice and knowledge, and The Architectural League is extremely pleased to work with NYSCA to help provide support for these important self-initiated explorations in all the design disciplines.”
A full list of funded proposals can be found below. To read descriptions of each project, and to learn more about the Independent Projects program, visit archleague.org/ipgrants22.
2022 Project Grant Recipients
Uni(wi)fied: Community-owned Wi-Fi Structures for Low-income, Low-rise Residential Buildings in Central Harlem”Catherine Ahn and Fabrizio Furiassi
New York
“Assessing Surveillance: Militarized Infrastructure on Indigenous Borderlands” Caitlin Blanchfield
Ithaca, N.Y.
“Coltura Promiscua for the Future: The Living Classroom” Michael Cafiero
Whallonsburg, N.Y.
“Confronting Carbon Form”Stanley Cho, Elisa Iturbe, and Alican Taylan
New York
“The Modern Longhouse: Braiding Indigenous knowledge with contemporary research on natural materials and embodied energy”Anna Dietzsch, Kaja Kühl, and Angela Ferguson
Syracuse, N.Y.
“Modernist Housing Ideals and Realities in Buffalo, New York” Jessie Fisher
Buffalo
“Now You Belong Here: Small Islands Disappearing* States”Nahyun Hwang and David Eugin Moon
New York
“Super Lightweight Formwork for High Performance Concrete Structures” Duks Koschitz and Robert Brackett
New York and Lexington, N.Y.
“Perfect City’s Invisible Guides”Aaron Landsman, Jahmorei Snipes, Tylor Diaz, and Tiffany Zorrilla
New York
“Look! Mira! Building Design Literacy in Newburgh, NY” Liz McEnaney and Naomi Hersson-Ringskog
Newburgh, N.Y.
“BlueCity Reef Garden”Gita Nandan and Elliott Maltby
New York
“Beyond Memorial” Emmanuel Oni
New York
“The Hub: Envisioning Equity and Spatial Justice for Day Laborers” Elsa Ponce Varga
New York
“Ocellus XR: Visualizing Climate Risk, Vulnerability and Equity in NYC” Daniel Sauter, Joe Steele, and Claudia Tomateo
New York
“K.I.D.S. for Equity” Elaine SunNew York
“Дія-Т / Diya-Ty: Empowering Ukrainian Youth to be the Makers of their Future Cities” Sasha Topolnytska and Lindsay Harkema
New York
“Lo–TEK: Water” Julia Watson
New York
“Station to Station: The Future of Gas Stations in New York with the Transition to Electric Vehicles”Michael Woods
Statewide
