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Terminal Warehouse, designed by COOKFOX, is one of the many new projects open to the public. Courtesy of Alex Ferrec

October 16, 2025

Archtober and the AIA Center for Architects Invites You to Share Space

Archtober’s 15th edition brings together architects, artists, and the public for a month of events exploring how New Yorkers share and shape their city.

By: Metropolis Editors

New York City’s biggest design party is in full swing — and there’s still plenty to catch. Archtober 2025, the city’s annual month-long celebration of architecture and design, is turning 15 this year under the theme “Shared Spaces.” From October 15 onward, the lineup gets especially good, featuring panels, pop-ups, conferences, and creative chaos that showcase how design keeps NYC alive, connected, and constantly evolving.

Hosted by the AIA New York / Center for Architecture, Archtober has grown into a cultural institution of its own — a living, breathing festival that turns the city into an open studio. This year’s programming digs deep into the ways we share, move, and coexist in urban space. And if you’ve missed the early events, don’t worry — the best ones are still ahead.

One of the major highlights lands on October 17: the METROPOLIS Sustainability Lab + Conference at Parsons. Themed “SYNERGY,” it brings together top thinkers from design, business, and academia to explore how sustainability, wellness, and creativity intersect in today’s built environment. Expect lively debates, cross-industry ideas, and some of the sharpest minds redefining what “green design” really means.

Meanwhile, over at the Center for Architecture, the festival’s beating heart, a brand-new collaboration with Head Hi is taking over the space. The Brooklyn-based architecture and design bookstore is setting up Head Hi in the City, a month-long pop-up packed with design objects, books, and weekly talks. It’s an unmissable hangout for design lovers — think book launches, discussions, and gatherings like the New York Architecture & Design Book Club. It’s a smart, community-driven activation that perfectly matches Archtober’s “Shared Spaces” spirit.

Archtober postcards. Courtesy of AIA Center for Architecture
Bronx River Greenway Starlight Park. Designed by NV5. Photo courtesy: NV5

On October 22, the Female Design Council hosts its annual Archtober Mingler for Women Architects and Designers at Ligne Roset — a free, RSVP-only event to meet, toast, and connect with other creative women in design. Later in the month, on October 29, get ready for the return of Pumpkitecture, the most delightfully chaotic architectural competition around. Teams of architects go gourd-to-gourd carving for the legendary Pritzkerpumpkin, and the public helps crown the winner.

For design adventurers who love to explore at their own pace, the Archtober Guide on Bloomberg Connects keeps the discovery going year-round. The free app lets you tour architectural icons and hidden gems across the five boroughs (and beyond) with images, interviews, and stories straight from the designers themselves. It’s basically an architecture festival in your pocket — and proof that Archtober’s mission extends well past October.

Behind it all, the Center for Architecture continues to elevate the conversation around urban life, public space, and design culture. Through exhibitions like Searching for Superpublics and public programs like Designing for Public Life, the AIA New York team is turning architecture from a discipline into a shared civic experience.

So grab your tote, your curiosity, and maybe your pumpkin tools — because Archtober’s best days are still ahead.

The new Green-Wood Cemetery expansion designed by Architecture Research Office (ARO), Courtesy of Synoesis

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