Van Alen Institute

Together with the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership, we're thrilled to unveil this year's Flatiron Public Plaza Design Installation: Point of Action by Studio Cooke John.

Together with the Urban Design Forum, we're pleased to launch neighborhoodsnow.nyc, a digital toolkit with 40+ designs, guidelines, and strategies to aid safe reopening and recovery.

Together with the Flatiron/23rd Street Partnership, we're thrilled to share that Studio Cooke John will create this year's Flatiron Public Plaza Design Installation. This annual installation is an important part of our Public Realm R&D program to surface the work of emerging designers and test new strategies to bring people together in public space.

Join us for a two-part event reflecting on how collaborative design can inform neighborhood recovery strategies. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Urban Design Forum and Van Alen Institute joined forces to launch Neighborhoods Now, an initiative connecting NYC neighborhoods hit hard by the pandemic with coalitions of architects, engineers, lawyers, planners, and community health experts. Together, they co-created safe and effective reopening strategies for the short- and long-term.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected communities of color, and threatens to expand the racial wealth gap in neighborhoods that already lack access to resources as a result of long-term structural inequities. In response, and in collaboration with the Urban Design Forum, we’re launching Neighborhoods Now.

The submission period for Reimagining Brooklyn Bridge period closed on April 19, and we received an incredible 253 submissions from 133 cities in 37 countries! The proposals are already serving as a great reminder of human ingenuity, and we're blown away by how many people near and far care about the bridge.

We’re writing to let you know that we’ve added a two week extension for Reimagining Brooklyn Bridge, our design competition in collaboration with the New York City Council. The deadline to submit your proposals is now Sunday, April 19 by 11:59 pm ET.

To the Van Alen community— Along with all of you, we’ve been consumed by the news and growing impact of COVID-19. We hope you, your families, and your communities are staying safe and checking in with each other as much as you can.

Last month, more than 100 members of the North Miami community joined us for the official ribbon-cutting of Stormwater Park. What was once a flood-prone vacant lot is now an asset for managing flood water and a beautiful space to relax and learn more about local flora and fauna.

We’re excited to share that Van Alen Institute is moving to Brooklyn in Spring 2020. Our new home will be at 303 Bond Street in Gowanus, a storefront that will house our work space and where we will continue to host public programs about design and city life. Like our current location in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, 303 Bond Street offers direct street access—a reflection of our commitment to ensuring public space in New York City, staying engaged with our surroundings, and providing a meeting place for discussions around cities and design. Stay tuned for updates about programming in our new space. In the meantime, learn more about our move here.