Short Documentary Screening & Discussion Presented by Van Alen Institute with The Atlantic and CityLab Presented with The Atlantic and CityLab, Season Two of the short documentary series Van Alen Sessions explores the future of the energy grid. Join us for a preview screening of new episodes that spotlight solutions to the outdated energy infrastructure
Variety Show Presented by Van Alen Institute with General Assembly What is disruption, anyway? The term has been cast as a tech market tactic, a cultural trope, and a belief system of near-theological proportions. In an evening of performances and provocations, we’ll consider many definitions of this watchword. Presenters will offer perspectives of radical change
Van Alen Institute and West Palm Beach have launched Shore to Core, parallel design and research competitions to reimagine the West Palm Beach downtown and to better understand individuals' relationships to the built environment. Shore to Core asks: How can we recreate an urban core so its design is intelligent, flexible, and responsive to the
Van Alen Institute and AECOM have launched Fair Share, a student design competition inviting multidisciplinary teams from around the world to apply the tools and principles of the "sharing economy" to tackle pressing urban challenges. As digital natives, today's students are adapting to the sharing economy faster than any other demographic. The seventh edition in
What will the aftermath of the 2016 election mean for cities? Join us for a post-Election Day celebration of the mandate of everyday city dwellers to improve one another’s lives. No matter if the unthinkable happens on November 8, we’ll apply performance, satire, and rapid presentations to mix policy and play and proclaim the power
Presented with Archtober How can design address the perceived problems of the voting poll experience in urban communities, from long lines at obscure locations to bungled technology and counting conundrums? This fast-paced, one-day design competition invites interdisciplinary teams to consider how the voting poll experience in cities can be reimagined to be more equitable, accessible,
Before he was a presidential candidate, Donald Trump transformed the skyline of New York City as he navigated zoning laws and mayoral administrations. Join architectural historian, Emmy-nominated humorist, and author of TRUMPitecture: The Architecture of Donald TRUMP Barry Goldsmith on a non-dogmatic tour of Trump’s impact on Midtown Manhattan, and how real estate investment informs the
Presented with Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Who holds the strings to the public purse that pays for crucial services and ultimately determines a city’s financial survival? From grassroots land grabs and infrastructure collapse, to Community Development Block Grant programs, we’ll pinpoint the state and federal policies and land-use loopholes that have major implications for
Journey to New York City’s early history—the colonial mandate by British governors—as Black Gotham founder Kamau Ware guides participants on an evening tour of how the historic actions of policymakers controlled the lives of the first black New Yorkers. Discover the laws, conspiracies, and rebellions that influenced the expanding colony along lines of slavery, class,
As government funding for the arts vacillates with the ping-pong of dual-party politics, and as periodic recessions strip many wealthy donors of their giving capacity, the precarity of the creative community has become the norm. Join us for a discussion as we devise new ways to fortify the arts through New York City’s one true
Lionized and loathed, Robert Moses’ complex legacy is one that we live with every day, and it retold as a graphic novel by Pierre Christin and Oliver Balez. Join us for a discussion of how Moses’ decades-long mandate allowed him to negotiate all levels of local, state, and federal control to reshape New York City
As deputy mayor for housing and economic development, native New YorkerAlicia Glen’s mandate includes more than 40 agencies and authorities. From empowering women entrepreneurs and preserving public housing to introducing a citywide ferry service, Glen has brought her frank and forthright approach to solving urban problems. Join us for a conversation between Glen and former
