by: Bria Donohue
Recently, AIA New York joined the NYC Department of Design and Construction (DDC), along with other industry partners, for a site tour of the Brooklyn Borough-Based Jail, one of the City’s most significant public-sector projects currently under construction. The visit provided an opportunity to observe design-build delivery in action and to learn firsthand how this integrated approach is contributing to the project’s progress and performance.
As part of New York City’s Borough-Based Jail Program, the Brooklyn facility represents a major investment in civic infrastructure, with a scale and complexity that demands close coordination among public agencies, designers, and builders. During the tour, the project team shared insights into how the design-build model has supported a highly collaborative working environment—bringing architects, engineers, contractors, and city stakeholders together from the earliest stages of the project.
Project leaders highlighted how this integrated delivery method has enabled real-time problem solving and faster decision-making, reducing inefficiencies that often arise in more traditional delivery models. Early alignment among team members has resulted in improved cost and schedule control, more constructible design solutions, and greater flexibility in responding to unforeseen challenges in the field. Collectively, these benefits have contributed to significant time savings while maintaining a focus on quality, safety, and accountability.
For AIA New York, the tour reinforced the value of alternative project delivery methods in advancing design excellence and improving outcomes for complex public projects. AIANY has long supported policies and practices that empower architects to engage earlier and more holistically in the delivery process, particularly on civic projects that have long-lasting impacts on communities and the built environment.
Looking ahead, AIA New York and DDC will continue to collaborate in sharing lessons learned from the Brooklyn Borough-Based Jail project and exploring the broader implications of design-build for public-sector work in New York City. On January 27, 2026, AIANY and DDC will co-host a public program at the Center for Architecture focused on the Brooklyn project, offering a deeper dive into the opportunities, challenges, and best practices associated with design-build delivery. Additional details about the program will be announced in the coming months.