​​Contemporary Architecture in New York City New

This course offers an immersive introduction to contemporary architecture through the lens of New York City’s built environment. Designed for students curious about architecture (whether or not they intend to study it formally) the course focuses on how architecture shapes human experience, community life, and urban environments. Using New York City as an open-air classroom, students will explore key architectural sites and neighborhoods to better understand how buildings reflect and influence social, cultural, and environmental dynamics.

Through field trips to iconic and lesser-known architectural works, such as Lincoln Center, the High Line, and Grand Central Terminal, students will learn to critically observe and analyze buildings in complex urban settings. Studio and/or office visits will provide an inside look at how contemporary architects approach design today, including their responses to sustainability, inequality, and community engagement.

While the course includes some hands-on elements like sketching and observational exercises, the primary emphasis is on expanding students’ awareness of architecture through direct engagement with the city, supplemented by short readings and discussions that provide historical and conceptual context. The course concludes with conversations about current debates in architectural practice, helping students connect what they’ve seen to the larger questions shaping the field today.