AIANY and Center for Architecture Name Benjamin Prosky as Executive Director
November 19, 2015
New York, NY (November 19, 2015) — Benjamin Prosky has been named the Executive Director of the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter (AIANY) and the Center for Architecture. Prosky will step away from his role as Assistant Dean for Communications at Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD)—where he has overseen events, publications, multimedia content and special projects since 2011—and commence full responsibilities at the Center in early 2016.
Carol Loewenson FAIA, incoming President of AIA New York and Partner at Mitchell/Giurgola Architects said, “Ben brings a unique energy, intelligence and experience to the Executive Director position. AIANY is poised for great change: More outreach, greater membership value, deeper connections to the academy and a stronger role in actively impacting the design of our city. Ben is the right person to imagine the AIANY of the future. We are thrilled to have him on board to lead our organization.”
Tom Krizmanic AIA, incoming Center for Architecture Board President and Principal at the firm STUDIOS Architecture said, “With unanimous and enthusiastic approval, the Center for Architecture welcomes Ben Prosky back to New York City to head and lead our Center for Architecture. I have no doubt Ben will further our mission to educate and involve a spectrum of New Yorkers in understanding, exploring and raising awareness of architects and their key role in shaping and creating the built environment.”
With a background in urban studies and urban planning, Prosky has devoted the past 15 years of his career to a range of projects and initiatives dedicated to the promotion and interpretation of architecture and the city. He started his career working for the Institut français d’architecture (IFA) in Paris, under the direction of Jean Louis Cohen, coordinating exhibitions and public programs. He then moved to the Canadian Center for Architecture (CCA), where he worked closely with CCA founder Phyllis Lambert and Director, Mirko Zardini, as Head of Public Programs. Prior to joining Harvard GSD, Prosky worked for six years at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP), then under the deanship of Mark Wigley, as Director of Special Events and External Affairs. At Harvard GSD, he has worked closely with Dean Mohsen Mostafavi, overseeing a range of projects including Harvard Design Magazine, the GSD’s 75th Anniversary activities, the school’s participation in the Venice Biennale and Design Miami, as well as the relaunch of the Wheelwright Prize.
Prosky has played a key role in the advancement of architects and architecture in the digital realm. As one of the four original cofounders of Architizer, he contributed to the establishment of the first social and professional networking tool created specifically for architects.
“It is a tremendous honor to serve as Executive Director of the AIANY and the Center for Architecture,” said Prosky. “I feel privileged to have the opportunity to expand the scope of both organizations— I look forward to engaging with the professional architects who are the backbone of the constituency, and also cultivating the broader public which, in the context of New York, recognizes the profound impact that design and the built environment have on the vitality of the city and all aspects of our lives.”
About AIA New York
Founded in 1857, the AIA New York Chapter is the oldest and largest chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The Chapter’s members include more than 5,200 practicing architects, allied professionals, students, and public members interested in architecture and design. The AIA New York Chapter is dedicated to three goals: design excellence, public outreach, and professional development. www.aiany.org
About the Center for Architecture
The Center for Architecture is the premier cultural venue for architecture and the built environment in New York City, informed by the complexity of the City’s urban fabric and in dialogue with the global community. The Center shares a home with the AIA New York Chapter and has the unique advantage of drawing upon the ideas and experiences of practicing architects to produce thought-provoking exhibitions, informative public programs, and quality design education experiences for K-12 students. It also leads New York City’s annual month-long architecture and design festival, Archtober. The Center for Architecture’s aim is to further public knowledge about New York City architecture and architects, foster exchange and collaboration among members of the design, development, building, scholarly, and policy sectors, and inspire new ideas about the role of design in communities by presenting contemporary and practical issues in architecture and urbanism to a general audience. http://cfa.aiany.org