Marketing and Communications

On March 20, the AIANY Marketing and Communications Committee was joined by Artin Sahakian, Project Designer at Weiss/Manfredi, who served as Project Manager for the book Drifting Symmetries: Projects, Provocations, and Other Enduring Models by Weiss/Manfredi (Park Publishing, 2025) from its initial ideation in 2021 to its final production in 2024. He shared his insights from generating a book as a medium for architectural inquiry. Having played a key role in producing drawings and graphics, collaborating on design, and managing production with Park Books and a printer in Verona, Italy, he offered a valuable perspective on the intersection of architecture, design, and publication.

Publishing work can boost professional credibility and lead to new opportunities, but the print media landscape can also be daunting. For many small practices, especially ones without a dedicated communications team or an external public relations consultant, the nuanced answers to these questions may seem out of reach.

That’s why AIANY’s Marketing and Communications, Emerging New York Architects, and Future of Practice Committees held our first collaborative event of 2024: a presentation from Leopoldo Villardi on February 20. In addition to being the youngest Senior Editor at Architectural Record, Leopoldo’s experience includes nine years working as an editor, writer, and researcher. He’s a trained architect, and holds a master’s degree from Columbia University and a bachelor of architecture from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

100+ attendees turned out on a cold February evening to hear Leopoldo’s insights into how to pitch for print and other nuances of his editorial practices. Leopoldo shared valuable insights, a few of which we’ve shared below. summarized below:

Ask for an Editorial Calendar
Architectural Record makes its editorial calendar public, but you’ll need to reach out directly to get a hold of most publications’ editorial calendars. For print publications, pitching 3-4 months in advance can be the sweet spot for staying top of mind while giving your firm ample time to capture proper documentation of your project. 

Exclusivity
The nature of exclusivity changes from publication to publication, but Leopoldo shared Architectural Record’s desire to be the only architectural publication covering a project. That doesn’t mean that other types of publications like a local newspaper of record can’t be brought into the fold—just as long as the article isn’t written by an architectural critic or for a specific architectural section.

Let the Story Speak for Itself
Be straightforward, concise, and highlight what’s compelling about your project. Avoid flowery, inflated descriptions and superlatives and back up your statements with metrics, details, and don’t lose sight of the big picture.

Sustainability & Social Good are the Baseline
Buildings should aim to be as sustainable as possible and to benefit their occupants’ well-being as a baseline. If you want your project to stand out, you need to decide how your project is pushing the limits of sustainability and social impact in the built environment.

Photography Tips: Fill a Space for People with People, and Do Not Use the Same Chair Twice
Some architects may want shots of projects that put their designs in the foreground and clear out pesky distractions like people and furniture. But that’s not what the editors at Architectural Record are looking for. Leopoldo recommended filling a space meant for people with actual people. He also related that some architects who aren’t in love with someone else’s interior design choices might bring their own furniture, but you’re better off not having the same chair make its way into photos of multiple spaces.

Interested in other events? Stay tuned in to the Center for Architecture and AIANY Calendar for future panels, workshops, and more.

Speak Up, Speak Out: Communicating for Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Moderator:
Celeste Frye, CEO, Public Works Partners

Speakers:
Talisha L. Sainvil, AIA, NOMA, NCARB, LEED, Principal, 40 Six Four Architecture | Design Studio; Secretary and Editor-in-Chief, PYLON, AIA Brooklyn
Patrice Rajacic, Vice President, Marino Public Relations
Rajas Karnik, AIA, LEED AP, NOMA, BOA, President and Co-Founder, Build Out Alliance; Associate, FXCollaborative

About the speakers:

Celeste Frye is an urbanist known for designing and implementing multi-stakeholder initiatives that build strong connections across the government, nonprofit, and private sectors. As CEO of Public Works Partners, a WBE- and DBE-certified planning and consulting firm, she leads a multidisciplinary team that engages communities, designs innovative plans, and implements policies and initiatives for our public and nonprofit clients. Before co-founding Public Works in 2010, Frye held leadership roles at the NYC Department of Small Business Services and the NYC Office of Management and Budget. Frye holds a Masters of Regional Planning from Cornell AAP and an undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is a graduate of Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses and Coro Leadership New York, and serves on the Regional Plan Association’s Connecticut Committee.

Talisha L. Sainvil, AIA, NOMA, NCARB, LEED was born and raised in Brooklyn and graduated from the University of Miami School of Architecture. Since then, she has gained almost 20 years of knowledge and practical experience by taking on various roles and responsibilities. Presently, Sainvil is the Principal of her Brooklyn-based architecture and design firm, where she specializes in homes and hospitality. Sainvil is a registered Aachitect in both New York and New Jersey, an active member of nycoba|NOMA, and currently serves on the board of AIA Brooklyn as Secretary and Editor-in-Chief of PYLON, the AIA Brooklyn publication.

Patrice Rajacic is a Vice President at Marino PR, leading the agency’s Corporate Communications unit. With more than nine years of communications experience, she is responsible for developing and executing strategic communications and reputation management programs for some of the agency’s largest and most complex accounts. Her work has garnered placements in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Business Insider, The Economist and USA Today, among others.

Rajas Karnik, AIA, LEED AP, NOMA, is the President and co-founder of Build Out Alliance, a non-profit organization that promotes and advocates for the LGBTQ+ community within the building design and construction industry. He is a registered architect and Associate at FXCollaborative, and is currently working on 1 Willoughby Square—a commercial building in Downtown Brooklyn that will serve as the future home of FXCollaborative. Karnik is also one of the founders and co-chair of FXOne, FXCollaborative’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group, and is actively involved in the firm’s justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts.

All committee meetings until further notice will occur virtually, via the below link.

Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android: https://meetings.ringcentral.com/j/1497589558

 Or Telephone:           +1(470)8692200 (US East)

 Meeting ID: 149 758 9558

For those of you who missed our panel discussion on April 14, a recording is now available here and on the Center for Architecture’s Vimeo Page.

As our economy and culture change in response to COVID-19, tailored storytelling is more important than ever. Bringing together leading voices in architecture, journalism, and PR, “Architectural Storytelling in a Time of Crisis” discusses how architects can engage with the public during an unprecedented and challenging time.

Panelists include:
Julie Lasky, Design Editor, The New York Times
Helene Oberman, Managing Director, Interior Design Media
Alexandra Polier, VP – Business Development, ODA New York

Moderator
Tami Hausman, Founder and President, Hausman LLC

Occurring during the monthly AIANY Marketing and Communications Committee Meeting on Thursday, February 13, 6:30 PM at the Center for Architecture, this workshop will discuss RFP Response tips and strategies, with a keen emphasis on storytelling methods to amplify your response. As an expert in your field, you know you can bring clear value to your clients, but do you ever struggle to communicate it throughout every RFP process? Do you feel as if you are throwing a dart into the unknown, and hoping for the best? The others in your industry likely feel the same way. Being an expert in the field doesn’t always translate into being able to communicate that expertise to a prospective non-designer client. This workshop is meant for architects, urban designers, and planners that often respond to on-call requests, or even specific planning and urban design RFPs. In this workshop, we will go through an intro to the five-part toolkit that will give you additional clarity on your value proposition and increase your strategic alignment with the client. This strategy backed confidence can be that “x factor” that makes all the difference. I look forward to having everyone put on their creative hats, and dive into the Creative RFP Toolkit.

Sreoshy Banerjea leads Urban Design within the Planning Division at The New York City Economic Development Corporation where she guides urban design strategy and manages consultants on visionary master planning efforts. Prior to her time in the public sector, she has been a project architect and urban designer at Dattner Architects on civic minded-urban projects including affordable housing master plans such as Lambert Houses and Hallets Point. In her early career, she has gained exposure to a variety of internationally renowned architects, including Rafael Viñoly architects in New York, and Dominique Perrault in Paris. Soon after her graduate studies at MIT, she co-founded her own startup, where she led a team that designed and launched an online marketplace app. This experience, as well as her current role has given her a unique perspective on value, business development, and storytelling. Sreoshy has a Master’s in Urban Design from MIT and a Bachelor of Architecture from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Join the AIANY Marketing and Communications Committee on February 5  for a lecture by Elisa Orlanski Ours, Chief Planning & Design Officer at Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group; register here.

Elisa Orlanski Ours, designer, educator and industry leader, serves as the Chief Planning & Design Officer at Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group. As the founder of the department, Elisa plays a critical role in combining design with real estate development to execute visionary projects from the schematic phase to the final sale. Strategically pairing world-renowned designers with developers for Corcoran Sunshine condominium properties and Citi Habitats rental properties, her collective portfolio is estimated at over 20,000 residences and more than $30 billion.

For 15 years, the Planning & Design Department at Corcoran Sunshine has been pivotal in transforming the relationship between design and the real estate industry with an approach that champions a sophisticated team collaboration. By incorporating architectural marketing with strong design principles throughout all phases of residential, hotel and amenity space planning, the Planning & Design department has created exceptional, tailored projects while maximizing value.

Before joining Corcoran Sunshine, Elisa worked as Construction Manager for a high-end residential construction company in New York City managing several luxury residential conversions. Elisa has served as an Assistant Adjunct Professor at Columbia University in the Real Estate Program and is frequently invited to lectures on architecture and design trends. She holds a BA in Architecture with a concentration in Computer Science from Barnard College and a Masters in Architecture from Columbia University.

Date: Wednesday, February 5, 6-8 PM
Location: Center for Architecture

Join the AIANY Marketing and Communications Committee on October 9 for a tour of Squarespace‘s New York City headquarters, with interiors designed by A+I (register here). Understand how the design firm translated Squarespace’s brand mission to empower entrepreneurs and the expanding independent workforce by helping them build a beautiful presence online, into a highly functional, elegant workplace representing the clarity and sophistication of the company’s all-in-one product. Through engaging Squarespace in a 3-month strategic workplace exploration, A+I discovered the directive for a design that allows employees to effortlessly pivot between individual and collaborative work. The design addressed the chaos and clutter that exists below the clarity of the creative process, what that clarity meant to the brand and how to bring the brand to life throughout the company’s physical space.

Speakers:
Kris Passet, VP of People, Squarespace
Eliane Maillot, Associate Principal and Studio Director, A+I

Date: Wednesday, October 9, 4:00-5:00 PM
Location: 8 Clarkson Street

**Please arrive on time in the lobby at Squarespace, we will begin promptly at 4pm. The tour will conclude on the roof deck, one of the best tech roof spaces in New York.

In-line with our Dining & Dialogue series, the New York Times will be hosting a talk on The Architecture of Eating on Oct 6th.

Join food journalists and cooking experts for the first-ever New York Times Food Festival on Oct. 5–6. You’ll find tastings, live cooking demos and more in Bryant Park; panel discussions with food-world favorites at TheTimesCenter; and extraordinary meals at 10 New York City restaurants. Come celebrate what it means to eat, drink and cook in the heart of New York City.

One of The Talks, The Architecture of Eating, discusses how architecture, design and culinary expertise create a welcoming environment, before the first bite. Find out from two masters of the visual feast: Restaurateur Danny Meyer and David Rockwell, architect and designer of Nobu restaurants (and countless others). Reserve your tickets at nytfoodfestival.com, and enjoy 25% off The Talks panel discussions with code AIANYMACC.

During our next MaCC meeting on Sept 12 we’ll share some insight into Business Development approaches within the A/E/C industry.

We’ll be joined by Yeng Wu of Ennead to unpack strategy and lessons learned for connecting professionally. Conversation topics include dividing your time vs. concentrating effort; tools and resources; etiquette and changing modes of communication; and setting expectations. Come with questions!

Presenter:
Yeng Wu, Director of Business Development, Ennead

Join the Marketing and Communications Committee for drinks and light fare at American Whiskey on Thursday, August 8, 5:30-7:30 PM. 

Catch-up with fellow committee members and industry peers. The event is a casual happy hour open to both committee members and those who want to learn more. The co-chairs will be there to answer any questions you have about becoming involved in the coming year.

See you there!

Laura Holwegner and Melissa Gerard
Co-chairs

Seasoned PR professionals shared their tips and resources during this morning panel on marketing techniques for small and medium sized firms. See details on the next event scheduled for Tuesday, July 30 here.

Key takeaways:

1. Manage your firm’s public image through a holistic lens, everything is connected.

2. Remember to utilize resources and networks you have already established.

3. Select a limited number of social media platforms to implement based on your goals and audience. Be realistic—consistency is key.

4. Not every tactic will work. Don’t be afraid to try something, reflect and then refine.

Presenters:
Susana Holguin-Veras, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, Principal, Theory
Nancy Kleppel, Assoc. AIA, Principal, Nancy Kleppel Consulting
Iva Kravitz, Assoc. AIA, Principal, The Iva Agency
Laura Patel, Director of Strategic Accounts, Density
Alexandra Polier, President, DNA Strategic Consulting

About AIANY Summer Practice Series
A curated summer-long series of weekly programs looking at topics across practice areas with a focus on the challenges of small to medium sized firms

Thank you to everyone who joined on June 12th for our first Dining & Dialogue! We shared a communal meal while architect Wid Chapman unpacked the design decisions that led to the creation of Industry Kitchen in the South Street Seaport.

Be on the lookout for info on the next in this series, later this summer.

About Dining & Dialogue
Bringing together architectural and culinary enthusiasts, this series explores the intersection between design, branding, storytelling and marketing a concept.

Industry Kitchen
Playing off the seaport’s vintage industrial setting, Industry Kitchen occupies an angular structure featuring reclaimed plank wood, black tile and raw concrete. Floor-to-ceiling windows seamlessly separate the indoor and outdoor areas, framing a picturesque view of the waterfront that can be enjoyed from any seat

Wid Chapman, AIA, Wid Chapman Architects
The practice is headed by Wid Chapman, AIA, who received his architectural education at the Rhode Island School of Design. He is a former chair of the interior design department of Parsons the New School for Design, where he currently serves on its senior faculty. Wid has guest lectured in the U.S. and globally in Brazil, the Dominican Republic, France, India, Malaysia, and Singapore. A lifestyle design authority, he is co-author of the topical books Home Design in an Aging World (Fairchild Books, 2008) and Unassisted Living (Random House, 2011).

In preparation for the 5th Annual AIA Film Challenge (opening June 3rd) join us for an introduction to developing video content at our monthly meeting May 9th. Learn how to get started with strategy and conceptualization, and gain an understanding of the pre/post-production process.

The 2019 AIA Film Challenge invites architects and filmmakers to collaborate in telling stories of architects and civic leaders working together to create resilient and sustainable communities.

Milkbox NY handcrafts thoughtful video and brand content that entices and entertains. They keep their core team small and the process simple, creating stories clients love and their audiences share.

Presenter:
Andrew Bordwin, Founder and Director, Milkbox NY

Join us on March 14 for our monthly MaCC meeting.

This professional development session will give you a brief overview of how to create a dynamic, professional presence that stands out in a sea of bland search results. Make sure your LinkedIn profile gets you the attention you deserve! Gain valuable insight that you can apply to your profile and use as a tool for other members in your firm.

LisaMarie Dias shows professionals how to leverage social media and email marketing to build their businesses and practices. Originally trained and licensed as an architect, her technical knowledge and design skills inform her process and approach. LisaMarie loves teaching and has trained hundreds of professionals to effectively use digital tools and platforms to build their brand, professional reputation and their bottom line.

Presenter:
LisaMarie Dias, LisaMarie Dias Designs

If you missed the meeting and would like more information, contact LisaMarie Dias.

This panel unpacked the various typologies of coworking spaces now serving new niches and responding to user expectations for amenitized spaces and hospitality-based services. Our NYC-based panelists represented various professional roles: designer, developer, and operator. We explored this rapidly shifting industry sharing recent findings, design strategies, emerging research techniques and resulting data, and projections for the near future.

Download PDF | AIANY Workplace Design Part 2 pres and AIANY Workplace Design Part 2 handout

Speakers:
Matthew Winter, Associate, Rockwell Group
Joyce Bromberg, Chief Strategy Officer, Convene
Lucia Diana, Global Real Estate, Verizon
Eivind Karlsen, Director of Design, Industrious

Moderator:
Melissa Marsh, Founder, Plastarc; Senior Managing Director, Occupant Experience, Savills Studley, New York

Join us on October 11 for our monthly MaCC meeting.

This talk will focus on collaborating with a photographer to document your firm’s projects. We will discuss planning, budgeting, and preparation for the documentation of your project as well as the long-term added benefits of collaboration including marketing, preservation and the economic benefit of effectively planning a photo shoot.

Presenters:
David La Spina, Director Esto
Ashok Sinha, Photographer Esto

Location: Meeting will be held at BKSK Architects office 6:15-7:15pm
28 West 25th Street, 4th Floor

This panel introduced how social media plays into an overall marketing strategy, unpacking differences in content and application strategies for sole practitioners, mid-size firms, and large firms. We took a  deeper dive into Instagram and its relevance as a visual marketing medium in the design profession. The panel also explored benefits and limitations, with strategies for maximizing exposure, enhancing visibility, staying on brand, and quantifying results.

Download PDF: AIANY Instagram Strategies Handout

Speakers:
LisaMarie Dias, Founder, LisaMarie Dias Designs
Rio Hamilton, Marketing and Business Development Strategist, Rio Hamilton Consulting
Erin Fearins, Co-Founder of Fearins | Welch Interior Design

Moderator:
Matthew Keeshin, Social Media Strategist, Gensler

Photos from the event courtesy of Jenna Bascom Photography