Oculus

Oculus magazine, AIA New York’s quarterly print publication, is an important means of asserting the identity and advocacy of architects in New York.
Oculus Fall 2024 Cover
Fall 2024: Supporting Communities

A Publication of AIA New York, Volume 86, Issue 4

On the Cover: Located in East Harlem, Sendero Verde, designed by Handel Architects, offers 709 designated affordable apartments in the world’s largest Passive House building. Photo: Albert Vecerka/Esto.

Table of Contents
Features
Aerial view of colorful chalk art in street
Introduction
Supporting Communities
by The Editors
A rendering depicting campus infill
City of Yes: NYC Aims to Accentuate the Positive
A New York zoning amendment is designed to remove roadblocks and promote “a little more housing everywhere.”
by Bill Millard
Photo of One Sullivan, a large affordable housing complex.
A Lifestyle Adjustment
Beyond place, architects and planners envision a more egalitarian, livable New York City.
by Patrick Sisson
A scene of a child jumping over a hurdle, and other kids playing in the street.
Living in the Moment
Three experts share their research and on-the-ground work to improve urban environments.
by Interviews by Stephen Zacks and Beth Broome
Bronx Point's Harlem River overlook
Op-Ed: Designing a Livable Future
Visualize walking through a neighborhood park where children laugh as they play...
by Yadiel Rivera-Díaz, ASLA, PLA
Red dining shed
Op-Ed: The Rise and Fall of Outdoor Dining Spaces
August 3, 2024, was the deadline for some NYC restaurants to make...
by Yumiko Matsubara, AIA, NCARB
Enclosed Forest rendering. Image: VERDANT.
Op-Ed: The State of Our Indoor Urban Environment
New Yorkers crave an opportunity to experience nature at just about any...
by Josh Gerber, AIA
04 OpEd PS084 01 Crop
Op-Ed: Patterns and Policies of New York City’s School Green Roof Trend
During June’s heatwave, we were suffering in a sweltering New York City....
by Sarah Kenney, Zishi Li, Zeynep Ugur, Zida Liu, Letty Lau, and Shawlon Hsieh
04 OpEd Image 1500
Op-Ed: Reimagining NYC's Empty Office Buildings through Creative Design
Office vacancy in Manhattan hit a record 22.7% last year. That’s more...
by Rosalind Tsang, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
News & Articles
Headshot of Greg Switzer
Letter from the President
Finding Belonging in the Built Environment: A Personal Reflection
by 2024 AIANY President Gregory T. Switzer, AIA, NOMA, NCARB
Headshot of Oculus Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Krichels
Letter from the Editor
National Conversations with Local Impact
by Oculus Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Krichels
Contributors to This Issue
The Once Future graphic design team poses in front of a warmly lit Center for Architecture. Blue text "Built by New York" is displayed on the glass panel behind them.
At the Center
Built by New York
by The Editors
A contemporary wooden hale (structure) in progress in Hāmākua, Hawai‘i.
Beyond the Center
Making Home—Smithsonian Design Triennial
by The Editors
AIA logo, red and white on black background
Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor, The visual op-ed by Garo Gumusyan in the Fall 2020...
by David Wallance, FAIA
AIA logo, red and white on black background
Call for Winter 2025 Op-Eds
What are your thoughts on the intersection of architecture and communication?
by The Editors
A street view photograph of some yellow tables and chairs in the courtyard by a glass building.
Street Level: Plaza 33
MNLA's new Midtown design offers a respite for bustling pedestrians.
by Anthony Paletta
04 LitReview gorlin jpg 1000
Lit Review
This volume is a comprehensive collection of urgent, concise essays on the...
by AJ Kushner
Headshot of Jesse Lazar standing outside the Center for Architecture front doors
Last Word
Twenty Years of Design and Dialogue
by Jesse Lazar, Assoc. AIA, Executive Director, AIANY | Center for Architecture
Oculus at US Modernist Library
 
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