How New York’s Next Gen Architects Are Shaping the City
New York has always had a canon of architectural giants who were relied on to shape the visual language of the state. But the more interesting conversation about what this New York looks and feels like today, that's happening in smaller studios, in Gowanus, Chinatown, and East Williamsburg, in practices that are as comfortable designing an installation for the Shed as a brownstone renovation in Clinton Hill, or that treat a library branch in the Bronx with the same passion they'd bring to a gallery in Chelsea. Where legacy firms chased the skyline of New York City, these firms are more focused on the street level, the people and community level where a building can either become a part of a neighborhood or just take up space. Here are eight studios we think are doing exciting work on that level today.
Peterson Rich Office
Founded by Miriam Peterson and Nathan Rich in Brooklyn, Peterson Rich Office approaches design with a commitment to community, and the range of social experiences, from private penthouses and NYCHA housing proposals, to the Glossier Flagship store and the ongoing expansion of The Met. Their work was included in MoMA's 2023 exhibition "Architecture Now: New York, New Publics," which highlighted practices expanding architecture's reach to the underrepresented publics. PRO is one of the rare studios that operate with equal fluency across residential, cultural institutions, and everyday civic structures while maintaining an ambition that consistently exceeds the previous scale.
Levenbetts
Founded by David Leven and Stella Betts in the 90s, Levenbetts focuses on all scales of architecture, whether urban design, public buildings, residential homes, and exhibitions, with a philosophy that spaces can be shaped by factors completely independent from conventional programing. Their office has won a staggering sixteen AIA awards, most recently for the East Flatbush Public Library. They were recently awarded an Arts and Letters Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and won a NYC Public Design Commission for Excellence in Design for their Borough Park Library project.
New Affiliates
Led by Ivi Diamantopoulou and Jaffer Kolb, New Affiliates works across exhibitions, installations, and ground-up projects for institutions including the Jewish Museum, the Park Avenue Armory, and the Shed. Simultaneously, they ran initiatives that repurposed architectural mockups into community garden sheds across New York's five boroughs. They describe their approach as producing design through "chaotic enthusiasm" and things that are "ugly-hot and textured, with multiple meanings." Their residential renovations and new constructions consistently draw award recognition, while their Testbeds project in collaboration with NYC's Department of Parks and Sanitation is one of the more talked about in the city right now.
Bench Architecture
Founded by David Bench in 2020 and based in Brooklyn, Bench Architecture specializes in residential, retail, and event spaces with particular fluency in neighborhoods like East Williamsburg and Bushwick. One of the crown jewels of the firm was the conversion of 154 Scott, a former steel mill turned into a multi-floor complex housing artist studios, a theater, spa, and the rooftop members' club SAA. The studio is known for its creative buildings that bring together work, recreation, leisure, and wellness. However, their Gable House in the Hamptons, adds a unique punctuation to the visual identity of the area while opening the door to more expressive residential projects finding a home in a more traditional setting.
Almost Studio
Named as Architectural Record's Design Vanguard in 2025, Almost Studio is led by Dorian Booth and Anthony Gagliardi, who approach each project as something that'll keep maturing and transforming as time passes, an "almost" rather than finished thing. Their Mandarin Cafe & Wine Bar in Chinatown, with it's organic shapes and golden glow, is the kind of project that rewards you both visually and experientially. The process is very arts driven: presenting artists and work to clients before any architecture references, opening conversation about formal relationships, and presenting color that isn't constrained by preconceived notions.
ABA
ABA is led by Emily Abruzzo and Gerald Bodziak. The firm holds a portfolio that spans bespoke residential projects, cultural institutions, and material research across the tri-state area. Their "Storefront Library" transformed the rotating facade of the Storefront for Art and Architecture's exhibition into an interactive library for the public on the street. Their Clinton Hill townhouse renovation was featured in The CUT as a reference point for how to renovate Brooklyn brownstones without erasing what makes them worth renovating. ABA is also behind the extensive $17 Million renovation of the New York Public Library's Castle Hill branch in the Bronx.
Future Projects
Founded by Julie Tran and Khoi Nguyen in 2018, Future Projects is guided by the belief that design should enrich inner life and connect people to the world. As a firm, they don't pursue a signature aesthetic as much as they have a devotion to consistent quality of attention. They have projects for Times Square Arts, the Shed, and meticulously considered residential renovations in Queens. Their work has been featured in publications from Architectural Digest, Dweel, and Dezeen, proof that their work is holding up across very different contexts.
BoND
Founded by Noam Dvir and Daniel Rauchwerger, former journalists turned Harvard GSD graduates, turned OMA alumni, BoND approaches architecture as a discipline that runs from the facade and structure, to the light fixtures and hardware. They treat brand identity, spatial narrative, and material selections as a single continuous throughline. Their artworld clients include collector Ilan Cohen, and their retail work include the LE PÈRE flagship store and PatBo’s new office and showroom in the city’s Flatiron District. The firm's current ambitions lie on New York's Fire Island, where they have ten completed projects in a town of just 600 homes.
The Shift Away From Skyline Architecture to Street Level Impact
Each studio in this list share a unique answer to the questions architecture has asked since the beginning: What does the building look like? What does it do for the people inside? And how does it impact the people who come across it? New York traditionally rewards the grand gestures and skyscraper addicts. However, these firms are more interested on the ground level where the people of New York can be directly impacted by the work they produce. The city is looking different because of them, even if you only notice it in passing.
(Images sourced from the respective studios and their published materials.)