October 1–31, 2023
Archtober, a New York City-based platform that promotes the discovery of architecture and design through experiences and content, will celebrate the 13th installment of its annual Festival from October 1–31, 2023. In collaboration with over 100 partners and sponsors across the city, the 2023 Festival will gather events, exhibitions, resources, and activities across the five boroughs to raise awareness of the importance of architecture and design in New York City.
In 2023, the Festival will introduce its first-ever theme, Bridging Divides, which points towards breaking down barriers within the field of architecture and design, as well as within the built environment that surrounds us. This theme reflects a profound commitment to fostering inclusivity, innovation, and a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness between individuals, communities, and the spaces they inhabit. Programming within this umbrella includes the Indigenous Society of Architecture, Planning, and Design (ISAPD)’s lecture by Tania Gutiérrez-Monroy titled “The Building She Stands By: An Otomí Leader and an Architecture of Indigenous Reclamation,” as well as the Architecture & Design Film Festival’s Skin of Glass, director Denise Zmekhol’s 2023 journey to reckon with Brazil’s harsh inequality—and many more programs still taking shape.
Archtober is excited to welcome back much of its signature programming, including the Festival’s popular “Building of the Day” series of architect-led tours in collaboration with the Center for Architecture. This year’s selection of 31 tours features the Louis Armstrong Center by Caples Jefferson Architects, Powerhouse Arts by Herzog & de Meuron and PBDW Architects, and MQ Architecture’s Magazzino Italian Art, the first-ever Building of the Day located beyond the city’s five boroughs. Later in the month, Pumpkitecture! Architectural Pumpkin-Carving Competition and Trivia Night offer additional opportunities for delight and playfulness among architecture and design enthusiasts.
Building on the festival's efforts to create year-round Archtober experiences, the platform has continued its partnership with Bloomberg Connects for a second year. In 2022, the festival launched The Archtober Guide on Bloomberg Connects. This year, Archtober will continue to grow the app’s collection of Building of the Day tour sites that you can explore from your phone, allowing everyone to dive deep into some of NYC’s most exciting contemporary and historical projects.
The 2023 Festival web site has just launched with expansive programming and anytime activities from 100+ partner institutions around the city and beyond. Designed by Greater Studio as are the 2023 Festival identity, graphics, and merchandise, the refreshed year-round archtober.org is also live now, featuring a new Stories blog that extends the mission of the festival across partner interviews, facts and trivia, event and hotspot roundups, and more opportunities for discovery.
To kickoff the festival month, join us October 2, 6–8pm at the Center for Architecture for the opening of the exhibition Generation Proxima: Emerging Environmental Practices in Portuguese Architecture. Start planning your Archtober itinerary now, and keep watch for even more events being added to the schedule as we countdown to the launch of the 13th annual festival.
