Since our founding in 1995, the Design Trust has solicited project proposals from government agencies, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and individuals through an open Request for Proposals (RFP).
On April 26, 2017, we unveiled Public for All: Rethinking Shared Space in NYC, an open call for project ideas to ensure New York City’s public realm remains truly public. For Public for All—the Design Trust’s 10th Request for Proposals in 22 years—we sought innovative ideas for creating more accessible, resourceful public spaces and sustainable models for their operation and maintenance to strengthen the voice of communities and enliven neighborhoods. The Design Trust encouraged applicants to consider the following questions:
Out of 105 initial responses from community groups, city agencies, and individuals across the five boroughs, Design Trust invited 30 proposers to submit full citywide research, design, and planning proposals. On July 11, 2017, an independent jury chose two winners from five finalist projects. Watch the selection process.
The Jurors include: Kitty Hawks, Kitty Hawks Interiors, Design Trust Founder’s Circle; Walter Hood, Hood Design Studio; Patti S. Lubin, Office of U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand; Kerry A. McLean, Women’s Housing and Economic Development Corporation; Zack McKown, Tsao & McKown Architects, Design Trust Board [non-voting]; Justin Garrett Moore, NYC Public Design Commission; José Serrano-McClain, NYC Mayor’s Office of Tech + Innovation; Claire Weisz, WXY Architecture + Urban Design, Design Trust Founder’s Circle; and Andrea Woodner, Design Trust Founder and President Emeritus.
(In alphabetical order)
(in alphabetical order):
Learn more about the finalists.
(in alphabetical order):
Public For All is made possible by a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, and with support from the Design Trust Founder's Circle, including Hugo Barreca, Agnes Gund, Kitty Hawks, Sophia W. Healy, Camila Pastor and Stephen Maharam, Claire Weisz, and Andrea Woodner.
Additional support for the Design Trust is provided in part by the New York State Council on the Arts and public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.
Selection Jury: Theodore S. Berger (non-voting), Paul Herzan, Kemi Ilesanmi, Natalie Jeremijenko, Jeff Merritt, Damon Rich and Tim Tompkins (non-voting)
Selected Partners: Jane Greengold with the support of New York City Housing Authority, The New York City Department of Housing, Preservation & Development, Queens Museum and the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, Staten Island Arts
Selected Projects: Laying the Groundwork, The World's Park, Future Culture, Opening the Edge
Selection Jury: Hugo Barreca, Deborah Berke, Jim Biber, Victor Body-Lawson, Tessa Huxley, Eric Rothman
Selected Projects: Five Borough Farm; Made in Midtown
Selection Jury: John Alschuler, Laurie Kerr, William Menking, Sylvia Smith, Claire Weisz
Selected Projects: Park Design for the 21st Century; Reinventing Grand Army Plaza
Selection Jury: Vishaan Chakrabarti, Candace Damon, Kitty Hawks, Tom Jost, Andy Stone
Selected Project: Sustainable New York City
Selection Jury: Alison Bauer, Ken Greenberg, Maxine Griffith, Peter Rothschild, Marilyn Taylor
Selected Projects: Greening Infrastructure in the Right-of-Way; Long Island City: Connecting the Arts
Selection Jury: Robert Fox, Maxine Griffith, Yael Melamede, Mark Robbins, Kevin Wolfe
Selected Projects: Reclaiming the High Line; Thresholds of Eib's Pond
Selection Jury: Deborah Berke, Maxine Griffith, Signe Nielsen
Selected Projects: Implementing the High Performance Building Guidelines; Housing and Open Space
Selection Jury: DD Allen, Deborah Berke, David Childs, Louise Harpman, Lionel McIntyre, Daniel Rose
Selected Projects: High Performance Building Guidelines; Mapping Early African American Settlements; Intermodal Transfer Improvement Project
Selection Jury: Max Bond, Mary Griffin, Raquel Ramati, Marilyn Taylor, Claire Weisz
Selected Projects: Designing for Children; Designing for Security; Diego Beekman Houses Design Workshop