Craft and Community Take Center Stage at A+Awards New York Celebration
For more than a decade, the Architizer A+Awards has served as the world’s largest platform for celebrating the built environment, spotlighting projects and practices that define the architectural discourse of our time. This year, for the very first time, the celebration itself has evolved to match the program’s global reach. In place of a global winners’ event, the 13th A+Awards season will be marked by three regional events across three continents — New York, Paris and Shenzhen — each honoring projects that exemplify the year’s theme: celebrating local innovation with global recognition.
The season’s festivities began in New York City, where architects, designers and industry leaders gathered at the newly reimagined Lever Club, an intimate private lounge within SOM’s iconic Lever House on Park Avenue. Designed by Marmol Radziner, the interiors of Lever Club recall the warmth of modernist domesticity, reinterpreted for contemporary gatherings. Wood-paneled walls, honed green stone, bespoke furnishings and expansive terraces overlooking Midtown provided a refined backdrop for a night of celebration, conversation and connection ahead of the launch of the 14th Architizer A+Awards season.
As the crowd filtered in, glasses clinked and conversations mingled in the soft glow of the lounge. Guests admired the craftsmanship of the furnishings and peered out at the historic cityscape beyond the curtain walls, aware that they were standing within one of the most storied buildings in modern New York. Originally completed in 1952 by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Lever House was hailed as a breakthrough in glass-and-steel construction, signaling a new era of corporate modernism. On October 3rd, it became the stage for another milestone: the first stop on a season-long celebration of architectural excellence.
Setting the Scene at Lever Club
Left: SOM’s iconic Lever House played host to the A+Awards’ NYC celebration; photo by Paul Keskeys. Right: Ron Radziner, CEO and Founder of Marmol Radziner, picked up a Project of the Year Award for the Lever Club; photo by Zack DeZon.
The evening began with opening remarks from Ron Radziner, Co-Founder and Design Partner of Marmol Radziner. Standing at the heart of the space he helped create, Radziner spoke about the challenge and privilege of working within such a historic landmark:
“We had the privilege of reimagining this space as a sympathetic insertion within Lever House, one of New York’s most iconic buildings. When the building was unveiled by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in 1952, it was hailed as ‘a vision of a new world.’ Its sleek, glass and steel modern form signaled the city’s shift away from a brick-and-stone skyline to modern skyscrapers … Tonight, as we celebrate design innovation with the Architizer A+Awards, it feels especially fitting to be gathered here, in a space dedicated to bringing people together.”
Architizer’s Editor in Chief Paul Keskeys introduced this year’s Project of the Year Awards in New York City; Photo by Zack DeZon
With the tone set, Architizer’s Editor-in-Chief, Paul Keskeys, welcomed the crowd and reflected on the evolution of the A+Awards. He emphasized how this new three-city format mirrors the program’s ethos: “to highlight the immense impact of good architecture, and to communicate the value of this vital profession to people around the world.”
He also hinted at the future, noting that the Projects of the Year being honored tonight embody a pivotal transition: architecture’s renewed focus on craft, material intelligence and the art of detailing in an era defined by digital tools and global pressures.
Illuminating Landscape Design
The Field Operations team scooped a Project of the Year Award for Hudson River Park’s Gansevoort Peninsula; photo by Zack DeZon.
The first Project of the Year was introduced by Gilbert Matthews, CEO and Founder of Lucifer Lighting, who praised the role of light in shaping both buildings and landscapes before presenting the award to Field Operations for Hudson River Park’s Gansevoort Peninsula.
Accepting the award, Karen Tamir, Associate Partner at Field Operations, described the transformation of a once-inaccessible sanitation site into Manhattan’s first public beach and salt marsh:
“This project has been a labor of love — transforming a once inaccessible, DSNY-controlled site on Manhattan’s west side into a vibrant, resilient, and ecologically diverse public park … The success of the park is rooted in collaboration — from the salt marshes to the expansive lawn, dog run, sports field, and sandy beach that invite people of all ages to come together.”
Her words resonated in a city still grappling with the effects of climate change, underlining how thoughtful design can both restore ecological systems and create joyful public spaces.
Finding Meaning in the Overlooked
Left: Veinte Diezz Arquitectos received a Project of the Year Award for Vistalcielo; photo by Zack DeZon. Right: A+Awards trophy detail; photo by Paul Keskeys.
The second award was presented by Alex Miller, Founding Partner of New York-based TM Light, who highlighted the role of lighting in crafting atmosphere and experience before handing the honor to Veinte Diezz Arquitectos for Vistalcielo.
Accepting on behalf of the Mérida-based studio, Principal Architect José Irizzont spoke movingly about the project’s philosophy:
“This project was born in Mérida, Yucatán, from a house that had been forgotten. We didn’t see it as a blank canvas, but as a place with stories to be respected and reimagined … Winning this award reminds us that thoughtful architecture — even on a small scale — can have real impact. You don’t need to go big to be meaningful.”
The audience erupted in applause, struck by Irizzont’s reminder that craft and context can elevate even the most modest commissions into works of real cultural resonance.
Collaboration is Key
Principal and Director Matt Jackson and Interiors Director Ashley Nath accepted the final Project of the Year Award on behalf of Marmol Radziner; photo by Zack DeZon
The final Project of the Year of the evening was fittingly dedicated to the venue itself: Lever Club by Marmol Radziner. The award was presented by Bill Amberg, Founder of Bill Amberg Studio, a world leader in bespoke leather products, who contributed to the interiors and spoke about the enduring relationship between architecture, furniture and craftsmanship.
Accepting on behalf of Marmol Radziner were Matt Jackson, Principal and Director of the firm’s New York studio, and Ashley Nath, Interiors Director. Jackson reflected on the studio’s East Coast journey, recalling its humble beginnings in a small WeWork space and its growth into a thriving office. Nath elaborated on the design’s inspiration:
“Lever Club is the result of a collaborative effort across multiple studios, including our own fabrication shop, in addition to many artisans who created special pieces … We are proud to have honored this modernist legacy through our design and are so humbled by this recognition.”
Future Forecasts
A+Awards winners and their guests intermingle on the terraces of SOM’s iconic Lever House; photo by Zack DeZon
As the evening drew to a close, guests returned to the bar and terraces, lingering in conversation as the lights of Midtown shimmered outside the glass walls. Select guests then filtered to the nearby Hotel AKA NoMad, a luxurious urban retreat designed by Piero Lissoni, to continue the conversation into the night. The sense of community was palpable — a reminder that architecture is not only about buildings, but about the people who both design and inhabit them.
In his closing remarks, Paul Keskeys thanked the winners and underscored the significance of this year’s expanded format: “Together, these three gatherings mark a milestone in the history of the A+Awards: not a single night, but a whole season of celebrating outstanding architecture and the people that bring it to life.”
The New York celebration was only the beginning: Later this fall, Paris will host the second regional event in tandem with Release [AEC], followed by a culminating gathering in Shenzhen, China, one of the world’s fastest-growing hubs of architectural experimentation.
As the first stop in this global journey, the New York event embodied the very ethos of the A+Awards: local innovation, global recognition and a renewed commitment to craft — all of which will be encapsulated in the theme of the upcoming season, set to launch on October 13th. To be a part of it, make sure to pre-register your firm for the 14th A+Awards, and stay tuned for stories on more Winners’ Celebrations in the coming weeks!
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