Archtober, New York City’s architecture and design month and an annual festival of architecture activities, programs, and exhibitions, kicks off soon! Organized by the Center for Architecture in collaboration with a slew of partners and media sponsors (like us!), the festival brings together events such as daily building tours and lectures by design experts, as well as architecture-themed competitions and parties.
Archtober began in 2003 when the American Institute of Architects New York opened the Center for Architecture and unveiled New York in an all-new way to architecture aficionados. For the next seven years, Architecture Week took place in the second week of October. In 2010, the Architecture & Design Film Festival hosted its first New York event the following week. These events and many others were eventually consolidated into a month-long celebration.
Archtober was launched in 2011 and now includes a larger collective of local architecture and design organizations. The Center for Architecture hosts Building of the Day tours of notable contemporary and historic buildings. Notable buildings featured in Building of the Day tours this year include the recently opened Powerhouse Arts inside the formerly abandoned “Batcave” of Gowanus, the new Moynihan Connector off the High Line, and the new Perelman Center for the Arts at the World Trade Center.
Untapped New York will lead a plethora of events about New York City architecture and history throughout the month of October in conjunction with the festival. In the coming weeks, join us to uncover hidden architectural gems in Grand Central Terminal like a secret staircase, off-limits glass walkways, or the remnants of a lost movie theater. We’ll also track down the last vestiges of the original Penn Station that still exist inside the current structure, visit the opulent Gilded Age mansions of 5th Avenue, and take a trip to the Stony Creek Quarry, the source of stone used in the construction of landmarks like Grand Central Terminal.
Untapped New York Insiders can also grab one of the few free spots available to attend Archtober’s annual Pumpkitecture! Architectural Pumpkin Carving Competition on October 27th. Exciting events from other partners include AIANY Around Manhattan Architecture Boat Tours, film screenings, a 19th-century printmaking workshop for the whole family, and so much more. Check out the full list of Archtober events here!