by Center for Architecture
The Center for Architecture is delighted to announce our renewed partnership with Con Edison in support of our K-12 educational programs. Con Edison’s generous grant of $25,000 will enable us to expand our Learning By Design:NY Green Architecture programs for the 2025–2026 school year. These programs introduce New York City students from grade 4 and beyond to the principles of sustainable design, combining hands-on, skill-building activities with a deeper understanding of the challenges posed by climate change. This particular grant will enable an expanded middle school program focused on coastal resiliency as well as a high school curriculum integrating ecology and community.
Our Learning By Design:NY programs reflect our commitment to fostering a more inclusive and equitable built environment by creating opportunities for young people from all backgrounds to develop skills in visual literacy, design thinking, and creativity, participate in design challenges, and gain knowledge about careers in architecture and design. New Yorkers interact with architecture intimately every day: it shapes the physical environment we experience, impacts how we live, work, study, and move through the city, and affects how we see the people and communities around us. And yet, design education remains scarce in many New York City schools. It is critical that we are able to educate the next generation of thinkers and designers, encouraging students to think about why their environment looks the way it does and how they can help shape it in the future.
“Our partnership with the Center for Architecture reflects our support for the next generation of designers and problem-solvers that will play a vital role in building a cleaner, more resilient future,” said Hilary S. Ayala, Director of Strategic Partnerships Programs at Con Edison. “When students engage with real-world sustainability design challenges, they develop the tools to innovate and build resilient infrastructure that protect their communities from extreme weather and create more sustainable neighborhoods for everyone,” added Ayala.
Thanks to the continued support of Con Edison for our Green Architecture programs, we look forward to expanding access to sustainable design education for more students this year. This grant will allow us to prioritize partnerships with Title I schools in New York City—schools that serve a high percentage of students from low-income families and have limited access to design education programs.
As AIA New York aims to become a leader in sustainable practices, bringing climate change to the forefront in building design, the Center for Architecture’s programs bring these concepts and principles to a younger generation, instilling an interest in sustainability and socially responsible design through engaging residency programs.