Each design Challenge seeks to generate ideas for ways in which to advance wellness, resilience and quality of life in the built environment. The focus of the 2026 Challenge is the older office building that is finding itself structurally unsuited for the demands of the contemporary workforce.
These buildings were typically designed with a focus on historical architectural aesthetics, where
repetitive, smaller windows were part of the building’s facade, not a functional strategy
for providing access to natural light and air.
This is a situation faced by the site selected for this speculative exercise, 960 Avenue of the Americas in New York. With dwindling tenant interest and demolition unreasonable, the Challenge is exploring whether its façade can be reconfigured to enhance access for tenants to natural light and outside air.
LOCATION: 960 Avenue of the Americas is located between 35th and 36th streets in Herald Square, a major intersection in mid-town Manhattan. 40º 45′ 01″ N / 73º 59′ 12″ W.
BUILDING DESCRIPTION: The property is a 17-story structure with a three-story portion that extends beyond its 14-story tower. It was built as a bank c.1928 and renovated in 2011 for use as a hotel. Once recognized as a significant example of 1930’s architecture, many Art Deco features of its three-story podium were sacrificed to accommodate the transformation.
CONSTRUCTION: Its construction is typical of that period: a steel-frame skeleton with non-load bearing masonry infill walls set within the steel frame.
TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE GRAND PRIZE, ENTRIES AT A MINIMUM MUST:
- Use a high-performance metal and glass curtain wall system installed over or in place of the original 14-story tower enclosure to be considered.
- Preserve or enhance the architectural character of the building’s three-story podium and its Art Deco elements.
- Include concept drawings detailing the above that depict how the curtain wall enclosure provides enhanced access to natural light and air that include:
a. Site plan showing the extent of the façade recladding strategy
b. Exterior Elevations
c. Exterior wall cross-sections
d. Details of elements that characterize your solution - Present a resilient, versatile, and environmentally responsible building solution.
Entries are initially screened upon final submission to ensure they meet all eligibility and formatting requirements as defined in the competition brief.
THE WINNING ENTRY WILL BE SELECTED BY A JURY OF CREDENTIALED PROFESSIONALS BASED ON THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA:
- Its originality, innovation, clarity of the architectural vision, and relevance to the challenge outlined in the brief.
- The visual appeal of the concept and how it responds to its environment from a contextual and cultural perspective.
- How realistic it is, technically and economically, to accomplish.
These criteria are not comprehensive. They simply provide an orientation framework and basis for judging, which is complemented by each individual juror’s expertise and professional background.
THE SUBMISSION PROCESS:
Entrant Information – Provide contact information of the individual or team submitting. This will not be shared with the jury and is only for contact purposes. Enter additional team names in the “Notes” section of the My Competition Entry page. You may also paste a link to any animated visualizations in the “Notes” field.
Proposal Visualization – Up to 10 pages may be submitted to represent the proposal. This attachment should be one (1) multi-page PDF file (max. 10 pages) formatted at 11×17″ (ledger) size and can include supporting backup data, calculations, and commentary to supplement the images. Do not link or embed objects. Do not include any information identifying the entrant. Links to any video or animated components may be pasted into the “Notes” field. Maximum file size is 20MB.
Challenge Schedule: All materials are due by 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, March 19, 2026. Once you register via this site, you or your teammates may log in and edit your competition entry as many times as you like until the deadline. This competition is sponsored by the Ornamental Metal Institute of New York, which reserves the right to suspend or amend the cash award if deemed warranted by circumstances.