by Learning and Engagement Staff
The 2025–26 school year was a significant one for the Center for Architecture’s Learning By Design:NY program, with partnerships spanning 25 schools across New York City, 107 classes, and 2,162 students in grades K–12.
We deepened our work with existing partner schools by expanding the number of classes offered and bringing programming to additional grade levels. The Center for Architecture’s Design Educators and Learning and Engagement team also developed new residency programs, including Survival Architecture and Infrastructure, while continuing to refine existing curricula, such as New York City’s Wit & Wisdom framework.
The Learning and Engagement team further extended its reach through a series of teacher professional development workshops in partnership with the NYCPS Arts Office and District 75. These sessions introduced classroom teachers across grade levels and subject areas to STEAM and Design Thinking strategies, equipping them with tools they could bring directly into their classrooms.
Learning By Design:NY Residency Highlight
Fourth graders at PS 359 tackled a real-world challenge: designing safer streets for their Bronx neighborhood. Over five sessions, students focused on three intersections near the school, proposing improvements such as traffic calming measures, safer pedestrian crossings, Accessible Pedestrian Signals, dedicated bus and bike lanes, and street greening. They surveyed the actual intersections, sketched ideas, and developed them into models. Their work connected directly to what they were studying in science class, sound and energy waves, giving them a concrete understanding of how Accessible Pedestrian Signals help all pedestrians navigate safely.