Please join cultureNOW,the Lower Manhattan Historical Association, Center for Architecture,Consulate-General of the Netherlands in New York for a hybrid symposium about strategies for facing the urbanchallenges of the 21st century: mobility, resiliency, cultural heritage, water, housing. Architects from Amsterdam andother major cities in the Netherlands are global leaders in addressing these issues and will be invited to present theirideas in this program.
Introduction:
Barry Nieuwenhuijs, Deputy consul general of the Netherlands
NetherlandsNOW: Framing the Future
8:30 am - Session 1 – Framing the Future: Dutch Architects in New York
Dutch architects currently practicing here will highlight their practices, discussing cultural differences and reflecting on relations between the Netherlands and the US.
Panelists:
Francine Houben, Founding Partner, Mecanoo
Winka Dubbeldam, Founding Partner, Archi-Tectonics
Florian Idenburg, Managing Principal, Founding Partner, SO – IL
Rijk Rietveld, Founder, Rietveld Architects
10:00 am Session 2 – Design Innovations: A Panorama of Dutch Architecture Today
Through project showcases, panelists will highlight the ideas and philosophies of Dutch architects and engineers that propel innovation in addressing the built environment. Dutch architects are global leaders in developing innovative strategies for facing the urban challenges of the 21st century. A series of short presentations prepared by established as well as up-and-coming Dutch architecture and design firms will offer a panorama of where and how innovation is brought about in the built environment.
Panelists:
Jos van Eldonk, Partner Architect, Common A airs
Evert Klinkenberg, Founding Partner, BETA
Jan Knikker, Partner, Director of Strategy, MVRDV
Stefan Prins, Partner, Powerhouse Company
Dikkie Scipio, Founding Partner, KAAN Architecten
Erikjan Vermeulen, Head of Architecture, Partner, CONCRETE
Frans van Vuure, Senior Architect, Managing Director, UN Studio
Price: Free
Credits available: 2.5 LU|2.5 HSW credits
RSVP: https://calendar.aiany.org/2025/07/07/it-happened-here-netherlandsnow-framing-the-future/
People First for Lower Manhattan
2:00 pm - Session Three
This program focuses on the streets and public spaces of New York’s oldest and most historic neighborhood, the Financial District. Several of the FiDi’s streets, dating from the 17th century, have been recognized as Historic Districts on the National Register of Historic Places. While through most of the 20th century the neighborhood was seen as solely a commercial area and hub of world finance, Lower Manhattan is now home to 75,000 residents, sees over 300,000 workers daily, and attracts more than 9 million tourists annually.
Leaders in urban planning and government affairs will discuss the neighborhood’s complex urban challenges and how to enhance pedestrian mobility over the cars and trucks that currently congest its historic streets. The goal is to make all movement safer, easier, and cleaner towards a more enjoyable experience that can transform the area into one of the world's most attractive places to live, work and visit. Make Way for Lower Manhattan reimagines our public space for everyone.
Speakers:
Alice Shay, Principal, Buro Happold
John Massangale, AIA, Architect, Urbanist, Massengale & Co
Ben Furnas, Executive Director, Transportation Alternatives
Emily Weidenhof, Assistant Commissioner, NYC DOT
Moderator:
Catherine McVay Hughes, Board of Directors, Battery Park City Authority; Lower Manhattan Development Corporation; Lower Manhattan Historical Association; Financial District Neighborhood Association; South Street Seaport Museum; Princeton Climate Institute; President's Council, CERES
Price: Free
Credits available: 1 LU | 1 HSW Credit
RSVP: https://calendar.aiany.org/2025/07/07/it-happened-here-people-first-for-lower-manhattan/
At the Water’s Edge: Resiliency in Lower Manhattan
3:30 pm - Session Four
New York City’s identity as a global capital of finance and culture is rooted in its origins as a seaport. At the epicenter of over 520 miles of waterfront is Lower Manhattan, where it started 400 years ago with the arrival of the Dutch. Since then, even the boundary of where land meets the water has changed – in some cases dramatically. Learn from experts what is at risk and what is being done to protect Lower Manhattan from tidal flooding and coastal storms, and to ensure that all New Yorkers continue to have access to the jobs, subways, and infrastructure that thrive in this central hub. With 19 of 28 subway lines, 512,000 riders per day and 10% of all jobs in NYC, resulting in $74 billion in annual GDP (8% of the City’s total), downtown is indispensable to New York’s future. A range of current resiliency initiatives will be reviewed, including East Side Coastal Resiliency, Lower Manhattan Coastal Protection, and Battery Park City flood protection and water management systems. Discussions will also include how changes at NOAA, FEMA and the insurance sector may impact response and recovery to the next climate event, and its impact on the real estate and financial markets.
Speakers:
Kimberlae Saul AIA, Vice President Planning & Design, Battery Park City Authority
Alexis Taylor, Vice President of Climate Resilience, NYC Economic Development Corporation
Jonathan Marvel, FAIA, Founding Principal, Marvel Architects
Matthijs Bouw, Founder & President, One Architecture
Moderator:
Catherine McVay Hughes, Board of Directors, Battery Park City Authority; Lower Manhattan Development Corporation; Lower Manhattan Historical Association; Financial District Neighborhood Association; South Street Seaport Museum; Princeton Climate Institute; President's Council, CERES
Price: Free
Credits available: 1 LU | 1 HSW Credit
RSVP: https://calendar.aiany.org/2025/07/07/it-happened-here-at-the-waters-edge-resiliency-in-lower-manhattan/
-This program was supported, in part, by public funding from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council
-This program was funded in part by Humanities New York with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities
-The program is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.
-This program is supported in part by the Consulate-General of the Netherlands in New York.
Tagged: Symposium