Call for Summer 2026 Op-Eds: Repair — AIA New York

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Inspired by AIA New York President Mark Gardner’s 2026 presidential theme, “Repair: Democracy and Urban Space,” Oculus is seeking op-eds that explore how architecture, urbanism, and design practice can act as agents of care, restoration, and renewal in urban communities.

We invite writing that examines how design can mend social, spatial, ecological, and political fractures; foster inclusive engagement; and reimagine public spaces that strengthen civic fabric and equity. Please send 600–800 words with a brief bio to [email protected] by May 1.

Also in this issue

AMMA’s design of the Oceana Innovation Hub in Barbados borrows from the Barbadian chattel house, using passive ventilation, steep roofs, prefabrication, and natural materials to connect students to climate and place while minimizing energy use and embodied carbon.

When to Say Yes

Architecture firms must consider multiple factors when deciding whether to take on a project.

by Clifford A. Pearson

The End of the H-1B Pipeline: What Immigration Policy Means for U.S. Architecture

A virulently anti-immigrant federal government has imposed new fees and restrictions on H-1B visas and loans for architecture degrees.

by Stephen Zacks

Photo: Samuel Lahoz.

In Conversation

Architecture and the Right to Housing in New York

04 F4 Thumbnail Peter Bafitis

Housing at a Crossroads: A Special Op-Ed Section

Advocating for Communities Through Housing Design

by Peter Bafitis, AIA

Housing at a Crossroads: A Special Op-Ed Section

Your Design Has Values

by Magnus Magnusson, AIA, LEED AP

04 F4 Bradley Sherburne CR

Housing at a Crossroads: A Special Op-Ed Section

It's Time for More Architects to Engage in Civic Life

by Bradley Sherburne, AIA

Housing at a Crossroads: A Special Op-Ed Section

Designing for Dignity

by Darby Curtis, AIA

Housing at a Crossroads: A Special Op-Ed Section

An Architecture of Advocacy; An Architect As Advocate

by Keith Engel, AIA

Benjamin Gilmartin, AIA, 2025 AIA New York President and Mark Gardner, AIA, NOMA, 2026 AIA New York President. Photo: Samuel Lahoz.

Letter from the Presidents

Reflecting on 2025 and Looking to 2026

by 2025 AIANY President Benjamin Gilmartin, AIA and 2026 AIANY President Mark Gardner, AIA, NOMA

Letter from the Editor

Keeping Ourselves Afloat

by Oculus Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Krichels

PAU’s team conceived of three iterations of the shed: this is The Baseline Shed, intended for most sidewalks, introducing a subtly angled roof. Image: courtesy PAU.

The City's New Sidewalk Sheds

Designing Dignity: Architecture as Advocacy for Day Laborers and Gig Workers

Agency, Not Advocacy

by Sean Mingjue Yang

Elevating Students and Schools

by William Wong, AIA

Community Infrastructure in Data Centers

by Malachi Pursley, AIA, NOMA, with Rob Lobuono, AIA

A Call for Regenerative Governance

by Alexandra Payne and Megan Marini

Making Design Count in Mamdani's New York

by Jesse Lazar, Assoc. AIA, Executive Director, AIA New York and the Center for Architecture

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