Oculus

Oculus magazine, AIA New York’s quarterly print publication, is an important means of asserting the identity and advocacy of architects in New York.
Oculus magazine 2026 fall issue cover
Fall 2026: Adaptable Practice, Adaptable Cities

On the Cover: SCAPE placed a weathered-steel tide marker along the Gowanus Canal to track tidal movement and water levels in real time. By highlighting the normal tide range alongside the NAVD88 vertical datum, the marker educates visitors on sea level change and flood vulnerabilities. Photo: Ty Cole.

A Publication of AIA New York, Volume 88, Issue 4.

Table of Contents
Features
Introduction
Adaptable Practice, Adaptable Cities
by The Editors
People walking across the street with winter coats on
Aging in the City
With a backdrop of New York State’s first Master Plan for Aging, architects are reframing aging in place as more than a housing challenge, extending it to the streets, transit, public spaces, and neighborhoods that make independent life possible.
by Beth Broome
A rendering of 245 West 55th Street shows the conversion of the 1920s structure
New York Is Betting Big on Conversions. Will It Pay Off?
The success of this strategy depends on which buildings are converted, what kinds of housing they produce, and whether the surrounding neighborhoods evolve with them.
by Harshad Pillai, AIA
03 F3 IMG 5880
From Data to Decisions: Digital Tools for Decarbonizing Buildings at Scale
As carbon data becomes more abundant and digital tools more sophisticated, the next challenge for architects is not simply what we can measure but how that information changes the direction we take.
by Carlos Cerezo Davila, PhD, LEED AP; Jeremy Shiman, AIA, LEED AP BD+C; Kelley Tapia, AIA, WELL AP, LEED AP BD+C
Closeup on nylon fibers separated from carpet tiles
Keeping Interior Products in Circulation
While challenges remain, increasing numbers of projects are diverting materials through reuse, recycling, and manufacturer take-back programs.
by Rita Catinella Orrell
News & Articles
2026 AIANY President Mark Gardner, AIA, NOMA
Letter from the President
The Unfinished Business of Adaptive Design
by 2026 AIANY President Mark Gardner, AIA, NOMA
Headshot of Oculus Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Krichels
Letter from the Editor
Adapting is the Work
by Editor-In-Chief Jennifer Krichels
Contributors to this Issue
At the Center
Dark Matter U: Justice, Pedagogy, Design; Humanist modernity
Beyond the Center
Art + Furniture: Designers, Makers, and Advocates
a picnic grove, a sculptural playscape, and a series of paths and seating areas that bring pedestrians close to the waterfront
Street Level
Waterfront Progress in Gowanus: 420 Carroll Street and Sackett Place
by Nicole Gates Anderson
Lit Review
Regarding Paul R. Williams: A Photographer’s View of a Trailblazing Architect
by Laura Raskin
Headshot of Casimir Esbach
Op-Ed
Holding the Same Pencil
by Casimir Esbach
Charles F. Bloszies, FAIA, SE portrait
Op-Ed
To House the Unhoused, Architects Should Think Big About Going Small
by Charles F. Bloszies, FAIA, SE
Index to Advertisers
Three Oculus magazine covers
Call for Opinion Shorts: Architectural Education
The Winter 2027 issue of Oculus invites shorter opinion pieces or anecdotes (200–400 words) that examine how architectural education could or should adapt to the profession students are entering now.
by The Editors
Headshot of Jesse Lazar
Last Word
The Adaptive City Needs Adaptive Institutions
by Jesse Lazar, Assoc. AIA, Executive Director, AIA New York | Center for Architecture
Oculus at US Modernist Library
 
View a digital archive of back issues from Oculus, and other publications

BROWSER UPGRADE RECOMMENDED

Our website has detected that you are using a browser that will prevent you from accessing certain features. An upgrade is recommended to experience. Use the links below to upgrade your exisiting browser.
If you feel you have reached this page in error, click here to continue to the site.