Van Alen Institute

03/16/2023

Four-time Emmy Award-winner Randy Cohen stops by Van Alen to host his podcast Person Place Thing! This interview show is based on the idea that people are most engaging when they speak not about themselves, but something they care about.

🗓 Thurs, April 6, 6:30 pm
📍Van Alen Institute, 303 Bond St
🎟 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/person-place-thing-with-sreoshy-banerjea-tickets-576187681867

Join us to hear from Sreoshy Banerjea, Executive Director of NYC's Public Design Commission. Our own Executive Director, Deborah Marton, also serves on the Public Design Commission which advocates for innovative, sustainable, and equitable design of NYC’s public spaces and civic structures.

11/03/2022

Reliving the magic of this year’s Van Alen Block Party 😍 We had such a gorgeous day with our friends and Gowanus neighbors. Thank you to all who came out!

🎥: Thom Pictures

01/27/2022

With the Urban Design Forum, we're seeking an empathetic storyteller to follow this year's work, as seven community-led teams in four boroughs continue their pandemic recovery and work to make their neighborhoods more equitable. Open to a wide range of mediums! Submissions due 2/17.

Learn more: https://www.vanalen.org/update/rfp-neighborhoods-now-storyteller/

12/07/2021

New project update! This fall, we've been working in the Albany, NY neighborhood of West Hill on a community-led redesign of a public alley.

Lucid Project: Albany brings together local organizations Albany Victory Gardens and Albany 518 SNUG, the City of Albany's Department of Planning and Development, and design team The Urban Conga.

Together, we’re creating a temporary installation for the alley that addresses immediate local needs. Once in place next spring, this installation will also host public events that support long-term visioning with West Hill residents.

Learn more about our recent work in West Hill:

After months of working with our local community partners, we launched the Lucid Project: Albany in September. This project aims to inspire transformational change in Albany’s West Hill neighborhood through the community-led redesign of a city-owned public alley. This vacant alley sits within a re...

11/24/2021

Interwoven by Atelier Cho Thompson is now on view at the Flatiron Public Plaza through Jan 2! Stop by to activate its lights and music, and contribute to the story wall. More info here: https://www.vanalen.org/project/flatiron-design-competition-2021/

📷: Martin Seck, Flatiron District, NYC

10/28/2021

Together with the Flatiron District, NYC, we’re so excited to share that Atelier Cho Thompson will create this year’s installation at the Flatiron Public Plaza!

On view November 22–January 2, their design "Interwoven" is all about the joy of connecting in public space. When you and another person cross through arches of the same color, you’ll activate synchronized lights and music. Learn more:

Inspired by New York's tapestry of cultures and people, Interwoven by Atelier Cho Thompson celebrates the joys of reconnecting in public space.

10/22/2021

Van Alen Institute seeks an Operations Associate to support our finance, human resources, operations, and office functions. We’re looking for an exceptional multitasker with excellent interpersonal skills who thrives on supporting a collaborative team.

https://www.vanalen.org/update/were-hiring-operations-associate/

10/01/2021

We simply could not have a block party in Gowanus without the iconic GOWANUS WILDCATS DRILL TEAM / EXPLORER POST 588! This neighborhood institution — going 51 years strong — has performed everywhere from the Apollo Theater to the Greenwich Village Halloween parade. Catch them at 5 pm at our Block Party tomorrow.

Learn more about the Gowanus Wildcats & our Block Party, Saturday 10/2, 1-8 pm: https://www.vanalen.org/events/van-alen-block-party/

09/14/2021

Join us to celebrate our new Gowanus community at our first ever Block Party! On Saturday, October 2 we’ll transform a stretch of Sackett Street into a joyful party bringing together Gowanus residents, local organizations, and our network of designers and urbanists. It’ll be a day full of musical performances, live DJs, family-friendly activities, locally-sourced food and drinks, and more. Stay tuned over the next two weeks for a full list of performers, activities and vendors.

09/03/2021

Next City chatted with our Chinatown team about their partnership and night market pilot. The next Chinatown Nights is Fri 9/10 at Forsyth Plaza — see you there!

"Chinatown Nights" is bringing art and excitement to a community that has been hit earlier and harder by COVID-19 than the rest of the city.