November 2, 2022
by Center for Architecture
Common Bond: The Center for Architecture Gala 2022 honorees, scholarship recipients, and leadership.
Common Bond: The Center for Architecture Gala 2022 honorees, scholarship recipients, and leadership. Photo: Samuel Lahoz.
AIANY and Center for Architecture Executive Director Ben Prosky, Assoc. AIA, at the podium.
AIANY and Center for Architecture Executive Director Ben Prosky, Assoc. AIA, at the podium. Photo: Samuel Lahoz.
2022 scholarship recipients: Husan Ahmed, B.Arch candidate at the City College of New York, Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture; Kelsey Jackson, M.Arch candidate at Columbia GSAPP; and Cheriyah Wilmot, B.Arch candidate at the New York City College of Technology.
2022 scholarship recipients: Husan Ahmed, B.Arch candidate at the City College of New York, Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture; Kelsey Jackson, M.Arch candidate at Columbia GSAPP; and Cheriyah Wilmot, B.Arch candidate at the New York City College of Technology. Photo: Samuel Lahoz.
Honoree Madelyn Wils.
Honoree Madelyn Wils. Photo: Samuel Lahoz.
Honoree Mark Chambers.
Honoree Mark Chambers. Photo: Samuel Lahoz.
FXCollaborative Architects.
FXCollaborative Architects. Photo: Samuel Lahoz.
Madelyn Wils at the podium.
Madelyn Wils at the podium. Photo: Samuel Lahoz.
Mark Chambers at the podium.
Honoree Mark Chambers at the podium. Photo: Samuel Lahoz.
FXCollaborative partners at the podium.
The partners from honoree FXCollaborative at the podium. Photo: Samuel Lahoz.
Scholarship recipients at the podium
Scholarship recipients at the podium. Photo: Samuel Lahoz.
The Common Bond 2022 After Party.
The Common Bond 2022 After Party. Photo: Samuel Lahoz.

On October 27, nearly 800 professionals from the architecture, engineering, construction, and real estate industries gathered at Chelsea Piers’ Pier 60 for Common Bond: The Center for Architecture Gala, helping us raise almost $1,163,000.

The annual event, which serves as the single largest funding source for AIA New York and the Center for Architecture, also brings NYC’s design community together to recognize leaders who embody our most cherished values: collaboration, sustainability, inclusion, civic engagement, and design excellence. This year’s honorees were Mark Chambers, Former White House Council on Environmental Quality and Former Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability; Madelyn Wils, Past President of the Hudson River Park Trust; and FXCollaborative Architects.

The evening’s first honoree, Madelyn Wils, was introduced by 2022 AIANY President Andrea Lamberti, AIA, LEED AP. Lamberti noted the transformative impact of Wils’s long career of service to New York City, from her work chairing Community Board 1 in the aftermath of 9/11 through her decade-long commitment to the Hudson River Park Trust. “From Little Island, Pier 26, and Pier 57 to the currently under construction Pier 97 and Gansevoort Peninsula,” said Lamberti, “her contributions to the changing face of public space in the city have created many important opportunities for our community, both as design professionals and as New Yorkers.” 

Reflecting on the challenges she faced transforming New York City’s waterfront, Wils called on the design community to think big: “We have to think bigger in terms of what we expect New York City to be and how we expect New York City to grow. We have to really think about all types of improvements: public space improvements, plaza improvements, park improvements, school improvements.”

Mark Chambers, a registered architect, was the evening’s second honoree. AIANY and Center for Architecture Executive Director Benjamin Prosky, Assoc. AIA, commended Chambers for being on the front lines of the climate fight, both in New York City and in the White House. “Mark is bringing his knowledge and relationships grounded in the architectural community into the generational struggle to confront climate change,” said Prosky. “We are so fortunate to have him in that fight.” 

In his acceptance video, Chambers spoke to the role of the built environment and designers in the climate fight: “When I think about how we move cities to confront the climate cities and how we use design to do that, I’m reminded that we designed our way into this crisis and so we have to design our way out.”

Common Bond’s third and final honoree was the firm FXCollaborative Architects. “Many of us know this firm, its work, and its people well,” said Lamberti in her introduction, “especially given their steadfast involvement in the life of AIA New York and the Center for Architecture over the years.” She recognized the firm for leading through example, particularly at a time when the profession is evolving and looking to magnify its impact on society. 

FXCollaborative’s acceptance video showcased a diverse range of people and projects, highlighting the collaborative, studio-like nature of the firm’s design process and their commitment to architecture that matters.  

Common Bond also recognized the academic successes of three  promising students, awarding each scholarships of $3,500 to pursue an architectural education at an NYC-based school.  This year’s scholarship recipients were Cheriyah Wilmot, B.Arch candidate at the New York City College of Technology; Kelsey Jackson, M.Arch candidate at Columbia GSAPP; and Husan Ahmed, B.Arch candidate at the City College of New York, Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture.

Congratulations to our honorees and scholarship recipients and thank you to all of our friends, supporters, and colleagues who made the evening possible!