Building Tours

Join us for a tour of the AIANY Design Award-winning Davis Center at the Harlem Meer, the largest project in the history of the Central Park Conservancy. This project explores and celebrates the intersection of History, Landscape, Recreation and the City. Setting the stage with the demolition of the former Lasker Rink, the Davis Center reconnects the building to its topography and its Central Park North setting. A glass and stone pavilion defines the eastern edge of a monumental outdoor room containing a new seasonal pool, rink and green.

Tour Guides:
Susan Rodriguez, FAIA, Principal, Susan T Rodriguez | Architecture • Design
Christopher Nolan, FASLA, former Vice President for Planning, Design and Construction, Central Park Conservancy
Carl Gruswitz, AIA, CPHD, Senior Associate, Mitchell/Giurgola Architects, LLP

About the Tour Guides:
Susan T Rodriguez the lead architect of Central Park’s new Davis Center at the Harlem Meer, designs at the intersection of architecture and the public realm to create buildings and spaces that distill the essence of cultures and communities. Her award-winning work is recognized internationally for its contribution to the vitality of cities and landscapes and the institutions they serve. She founded Susan T Rodriguez | Architecture · Design in 2017, combining over thirty years of design leadership with a passionate belief in the power of architecture to affect change and improve the quality of life for all.

Christopher Nolan is the former Vice President for Planning, Design and Construction of the Central Park Conservancy. As the chief landscape architect for the Central Park Conservancy, Nolan oversaw a team of planning and design professionals responsible for all restoration and constructions projects in Central Park. He is the principal at Studio Nolan Landscape Architects and Planners.

Carl Gruswitz is a Senior Associate, Mitchell/Giurgola Architects, LLP in New York City. With Mitchell/Giurgola Architects as Executive Architects, Gruswitz was the Project Architect on the Davis Center at the Harlem Meer.

Across New York City and the United States, libraries remain one of the last free and accessible places for communities. They provide several levels of support—from educational resources and language courses to cooling centers during heatwaves and hubs for food and supply distribution. No longer places to only check out books, they are essential sites of social infrastructure.To more effectively operate as a “third space” and to better connect with the communities they serve, libraries are turning outward, creating outdoor areas for gathering, programs, and study.

SCAPE has been at the forefront of this initiative by designing a series of immersive outdoor reading rooms and plazas that have become integral to the contiguous streetscape, ushering in a new era for New York City infrastructure. Recognizing these spaces as vital social beacons, SCAPE understands that they must be resilient for an evolving future. Their teams have worked with both Brooklyn and Queens Public Library systems to create lush, richly-detailed civic spaces that function as immersive landscapes while connecting the buildings to their urban and ecological contexts.

In celebration of the NYCxDesign Festival, on May 14th, join SCAPE Senior Associate, Daniel Hernandez, for an overview of the firm’s library work plus a walking tour of the Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center with Brooklyn Public Library’s Environmental Justice Coordinator, Acacia Thompson. Starting at 6 PM, attendees will learn how community engagement, learning initiatives, and ecological context informed the landscape with an inside look at the design process. Following the talk, participants will then be invited to explore the three-tiered library branch and experience design details first hand while also learning about the library’s unique environmental education programming.

The AIANY Building Science Committee is excited to present a tour of 95 Madison by FXCollaborative, located north of Madison Square Park at 95 Madison Avenue and 29th Street, Manhattan, NY, 10016. This designated landmarked commercial office high rise building is being converted to mixed use residential with 65 apartments, office spaces on the 3rd floor, and retail on ground and second. The project gained unanimous approval by the Landmarks Preservation Commission through its sensitive approach to restoration and expansion of the bulk. By reconfiguring the core, the team bypassed typical seismic retrofitting limits and created additional gross area for new rooftop units. Despite the building's SHPO eligibility, the owners proceeded with a primary goal of meeting minimum energy codes.

Tour guide Tim Sudweeks will discuss strategies for converting historic and Landmarked structures to multi-family use, give an overview of improving the performance of existing historic masonry facades including detailing with improved thermal performance, discuss variations in air and vapor barriers for various façade claddings and identify advantages and challenges in integrating contemporary building systems into a historic structure.

This will be a hardhat tour, and attendees must bring their own personal protective equipment (hardhat, safety boots, goggles, and construction vest). This program will have extremely limited registration so please do not hesitate to register as soon as possible.

Project Team:
Client: Sunlight Development
Design Architect: FXCollaborative
General Contractor: Woolly Mammoth
MEP Engineer: HRM Engineering
Structural Engineer: HPL Engineering PC
Façade Consultant: Walter B. Melvin Architects
Façade Consultant: Hatfield Group Engineering

Tour Guide:
Tim Sudweeks, AIA, AA Dipl, LEED AP, CPHP, FXCollaborative

About the Speakers:
Timothy M. Sudweeks is a Senior Associate at FXCollaborative with over 25 years of professional experience in commercial, office, and residential sectors, and is known for his work on sustainable design and repositioning projects. Sudweeks's expertise includes Passive House standards, exterior detailing and design, residential design, green roofs, repositioning projects, and New York City Energy Conservation Code (NYCECC) compliance. He is the office-wide Documentation Standards Specialist, responsible for the quality of FXCollaborative’ s documentation, including graphics, content development, technical guidelines, templates, and standards. Sudweeks is a registered architect in New York and a member of the AIA. He is also LEED AP Accredited and certified as a Passive House Designer.

Step into a hidden corner of New York City’s past with a rare opportunity to explore the Amateur Comedy Club (founded 1884) building and Sniffen Court. Tucked away at 150 E. 36th Street, this mid-19th-century mews feel like a secret world within the city. Its ten brick carriage houses, arranged around a quiet courtyard, form the Sniffen Court Historic District, a unique example of 1850s design listed on the National Register of Historic Places. During the tour, you’ll discover the Amateur Comedy Club, which transformed two of these carriage houses into a theater in 1918. As the oldest continuously operating theatrical club of its kind in the country, the Club offers a glimpse into history through its Green Room, Prohibition-era liquor lockers, and remarkable collection of theatrical art and memorabilia.

Guests will also enjoy refreshments and a surprise performance.

The same tour will be offered three times on the same date:
•       Tour 1: 10:00–11:45 AM
•       Tour 2: 12:00–1:45 PM
•       Tour 3: 2:00-3:45 PM
Register at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/amateurcomedyclub/2162247

Meet at 150 E. 36 St. (bet. Lexington & Third). There is no signage on the door.
Questions? [email protected]

Join the AIANY Committee on Residential Architecture this summer for Escape to Fire Island Pines, a group exploration of the island’s singular physical and cultural landscape. This year’s tour adopts a casual, immersive format where attendees will be divided into three small groups paired with a knowledgeable guide. Each group will explore the Pines by foot to examine the architectural evolution of a community built on both rugged isolation and radical inclusion.

The first stop on the journey will be at the historic Carrington House, a former 19th-century farmhouse nestled within the High Dune that became a mid-century sanctuary for the arts, famously hosting icons like Truman Capote and Gertrude Stein. As the oldest structure in the area, it serves as the foundational text for the Pines’ history and stands as a testament to the enduring allure of this fragile landscape before the first modern boardwalks were ever laid.

From there, the day-long outing will continue through the winding boardwalks to visit three compelling private homes and gardens that illustrate the relationship between seaside regionalism and contemporary island living. Participants will explore the island’s distinctive master plan and the unique construction challenges of building within an endangered coastal ecosystem, balancing an idiosyncratic housing stock with the unrelenting elements of the Atlantic.

The tour concludes with a reception at the island’s most iconic gay guest house, Reflections, offering a firsthand look at the architecture of hospitality and the social “escapism” that defines the Pines. Whether you are drawn to the preservation of the High Dune or the innovation of modern family compounds, this tour offers a rare window into a community committed to both its storied past and its resilient future.

Transportation:
The program will commence from Harbor Walk on the island side of the ferry; attendees must take the ferry from Sayville, New York, to arrive at the starting point. A limited number of ride shares between the Center for Architecture and the Sayville Ferry Terminal can be arranged upon request.

Arrival and Check In:
Staggered start times are scheduled for 11:30am, 11:45am, 12:00pm at the Fire Island Pines Marina. (Please note that these are the check in times. Each group will leave with its guide after check in. The first group will arrive at the Carrington House at 12 pm.)

Refreshments:

• In order to reduce waste registrants are encouraged to bring their own reusable water bottles for the tour.
• Tour groups will not break for lunch. Registrants are encouraged to bring snacks to eat during the tour, have a late breakfast, or eat an early lunch.
• Refreshments will be provided at the reception from 3:30–5:30pm at the conclusion of the tour.

Tour Guides:
John Dempsey, President, Fire Island Pines Historical Society
John Krawchu, President, Friends of Carrington House
Dan Lobitz, Vice President, Friends of Carrington House
Liam O’Malley Davy, Gay Gardens

Join the AIANY Committee on Residential Architecture, in collaboration with the Fallingwater Institute, for an immersive and interactive weekend at Fallingwater, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We’re inviting design professionals to join us—on their own or with friends and family of all ages—on October 11–12 to explore the principles of organic architecture expressed in Fallingwater, perceived by many as Frank Lloyd Wright’s crowning achievement built in 1935 in rural southwestern Pennsylvania. Through an intensive exploration of this landmark structure, attendees will learn how and why organically inspired architecture, in harmony with its natural habitat, continues to captivate generations and inspire awe.

Fallingwater stands as one of the most recognizable and admired designs for homes and gardens globally, having inspired many poets, playwrights, novelists, and artists to reflect on the qualities of nature that make life truly worth living. Why are we so captivated by the woodlands, waterways, and cliffs that inspired the construction of this cantilevered, stone-and-glass shelter? This symposium delves deeper into the profound impact of organic architecture on our cultural development as a nation.

Even if you’ve already experienced Fallingwater, this symposium is uniquely designed to allow design professionals to bring friends, family, and children for a multigenerational learning event.

Notes on Registering:

• One adult registration is required for the main session, “Fallingwater Grounds Tours and Activities,” on Sunday, October 11, from 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM.
• To register for the optional tours on Sunday, October 11 at 3pm, and Monday, October 12 at 10am, please select each session below.
• To register additional attendees, click “Add Another Registrant” and select the appropriate sessions for each person.
• Please note that age requirements for children vary by activity, as detailed below.

[1x ADULT REGISTRATION REQUIRED] Sunday, October 11:
Fallingwater Grounds Tours and Activities (6 LU / 6 HSW) 8:00am to 1:30pm
$280 per person. All ages. Children up to age 12 may accompany an adult at no additional charge. Includes box lunch.
Design professionals and their friends and family will gather for an exciting series of interactive activities and optional tours of the historic grounds of Fallingwater. In collaboration with the Fallingwater Institute, the AIANY Committee on Residential Architecture has developed an extensive program that immerses participants in a profound exploration of passive solar and organic architecture. This program, meticulously crafted, enables children of all ages to accompany an adult throughout the entire visit.

Additional tour choices include:

• In-depth Fallingwater Private Architectural Guided House Tour (ages 9 and up)
• Gnome-eye Fallingwater Institute Design Challenge and Tour (ages 8 and up, accompanied by an adult)
• Design Symposium: Preserving Fallingwater (ages 12 and up)
• Outback Tour on The Geology of Fallingwater (all ages, children up to 12 must be accompanied by an adult)

Speakers will be provided by the Fallingwater Institute and will include experts in architectural conservation, preservation, FLW Studio history, and landscape restoration and sustainability. Guest speakers will moderate interactive discussions throughout all programs and activities, sharing their knowledge and experiences on various building sciences related to passive solar and organic architecture.

We recommend that attendees be in the Fallingwater area by the evening of Saturday, October 10, to help ensure they are on time for the tour beginning promptly at 8:00 AM on Sunday, October 11. As the tour will start on schedule, no exceptions can be made for late arrivals.
[OPTIONAL] Sunday, October 11:
Kentuck Knob Optional Tour (2 LU / 2 HSW) 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
$95 per person. All ages. Children ages 6–12 may accompany an adult at no additional charge.
Gather at Kentuck Knob—the historic house and grounds designed for I.N. and Bernadine Hagan by Frank Lloyd Wright Studios. Construction began in 1953 on Kentuck Knob, an impressive residential structure perched 2,050 feet above sea level. It seamlessly blends into its surroundings, almost as if it were an integral part of the mountain itself. The organic floor plan, designed on a hexagonal module, features cantilevered overhangs and expansive areas of glass. This remarkable feat showcases the innovative power of imaginative building sciences.

Additional tour choices include:

• -Outback Tour on The Geology of Fallingwater (all ages, children up to 12 must be accompanied by an adult)

[OPTIONAL] Monday, October 12:
Polymath House Optional Tour (2 LU / 2 HSW) 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
$45 per person. Ages 9 and up. Children ages 9–12 may accompany an adult at no additional charge.
Join us for a tour of Duncan House and Mantyla House at Polymath Park, a Mid-century Modern Usonian-style community development plan. This plan features shared common areas and 5-acre lots for each homeowner, designed according to the organic principles pioneered by Frank Lloyd Wright Studio.

Please note, tour times may be subject to slight adjustments. A final itinerary will be shared with attendees via email prior to the program.