by: Camila Schaulson Frenz
On 10.01.14, Archtober kicked off with a forum featuring NYC Department of Design + Construction (DDC) Commissioner Feniosky Peña-Mora, who discussed the search process for the newly-created position of Chief Architect. Members of the search committee, including AIANY Executive Director Rick Bell, FAIA, will select a candidate, who will be empowered to take DDC’s design, sustainability, and resilience efforts to a new level.
DDC is one of the largest civic construction management agencies in the United States with a current portfolio approaching $10 billion across all five boroughs. Since 1996, DDC has completed almost 4,000 projects ranging from new and/or renovated facilities to street, plaza, and coastal resiliency projects to improve the quality of life of New York City residents, businesses, and visitors. Projects have included the new Police Academy Campus, Queens Museum, Bronx Zoo Lion House, Weeksville Heritage Center, Stapleton Branch Library, Columbus Circle, Times Square, and myriad others.
Reporting directly to the DDC Commissioner, the Chief Architect will be responsible for reimagining and leading design excellence and realizing DDC’s mission to bring beautiful, efficient, innovative, resilient, and environmentally-conscious design to all New Yorkers. In this newly created position, the Chief Architect will have the authority to review and approve all design, and promote and implement new initiatives focused on design excellence, resiliency, sustainability, and innovation. The Chief Architect will collaborate with city agencies, the design community, and DDC professionals to use architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design in implementing city policies and goals. This will include responsibility for bringing visibility to DDC’s innovative design programs through local, national, and international outreach and public events.
For additional information, please see the DDC’s posting.