Architecture Now: New York, New Publics

The Museum of Modern Art opens Architecture Now: New York, New Publics, the inaugural installation of a new exhibition series that will serve as a platform to highlight emerging talent and foreground groundbreaking projects in contemporary architecture. On view February 19 through July 29, 2023, the first iteration of the series, New York, New Publics, will explore the ways in which New York City–based practices have been actively expanding the relationship of architecture to different publics through 12 recently completed projects.

In a city where many aspects of our social lives are shaped by real estate interests and economic forces, architecture can nevertheless play a vital role in fostering collective participation and a sense of belonging. New York, New Publics showcases twelve projects across the New York metropolitan area that critically engage with their material and social contexts to propose ways in which architecture can serve as a public amenity. In contrast to the violent and disruptive nature of large-scale infrastructure and urban renewal initiatives of the past century—which frequently prioritized cars and resulted in the displacement of low-income groups, particularly communities of color—recent design strategies present subtler, restorative interventions. Considering the city a fragile ecosystem in need of care, these inventive approaches envision a future in which architecture creates more accessible, sustainable, and equitable cities.

New York, New Publics brings together a wide variety of design proposals, ranging from waterfront parks, public pools, and cultural spaces to community gardens, subway stations, and virtual monuments. All either initiated or completed within the past three years, they reimagine civic infrastructure, redistribute private resources, and mine the potential of emerging technologies. Mirroring the experience of moving through a city, the exhibition is organized as a non-prescriptive sequence of alternating urban scenes that visitors are encouraged to freely wander. Models, sketches, drawings, and photographs appear alongside full-scale architectural components, prototypes, and an augmented-reality installation. Twelve new videos provide glimpses into the daily life of these architectures, which suggest novel and resilient ways for communities to thrive.

The exhibition features works by Adjaye Associates, Agency–Agency and Chris Woebken Studio, CO Adaptive, James Corner Field Operations, Kinfolk, nARCHITECTS, New Affiliates and Samuel Stewart-Halevy, Olalekan Jeyifous, Only If, Peterson Rich Office, SO—IL, and SWA/Balsley and Weiss/Manfredi with ARUP. 

Organized by Evangelos Kotsioris, Assistant Curator, and Martino Stierli, The Philip Johnson Chief Curator, with Paula Vilaplana de Miguel, Curatorial Assistant, Department of Architecture and Design. 

The exhibition is made possible by Allianz, MoMA’s partner for design and innovation, and supporter of programs that look to a more sustainable future.

New York, New Publics will be accompanied by a series of public programs and digital features to expand the conversation beyond the walls of the Museum. For related content and events, visit moma.org/architecturenow. #ArchitectureNow