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Two people stand on a subway platform near a “51” pillar during Archtober 2026, with a blurry train passing by and others using a ticket machine in the background.
Data Vandals. Photo by Mark Shaw, courtesy of Archtober.

October 2, 2026

What to See and Do at Archtober 2026

A special newsstand activation from Data Vandals expands this year’s festival lineup, alongside recurring faves.

By: Sophie Sobol

October in New York City already has a sort of magical quality. There’s a reason so many beloved works of art—from jazz standards to film—feature that very season and place. But aside from crunching leaves and fall foliage, there’s something else that brings the city to life during the month of October. Archtober, New York City’s annual architecture and design festival, runs from October 1–31, bringing a signature pumpkin-carving event, comedy tours, exclusive exhibitions, and more must-see programming from nearly 100 local partners across the five boroughs. The month-long festival asks New Yorkers to take a deeper look at the architecture and design that surrounds them.

Returning for its 16th edition, Archtober 2026 celebrates this community spirit with the theme “In Our Hands.” Both a call-out reminding designers and architects of their role and responsibility in shaping the built environment and an invitation for togetherness in the face of climate change, AI, and polarizing politics, the theme celebrates collaboration, craftsmanship, and inclusivity. Within this theme, all activities will fall under five umbrella topics: Nature, sustainability-focused futures; Media, the power of storytelling; Culture, evolving local traditions; History, the forces shaping the city over time; and Education, how sharing ideas creates action.

Two people in coats interact with a colorful wall display featuring subway art and tokens inside a subway station during Archtober 2026.
Data Vandals. Photo by Mark Shaw, courtesy of Archtober.

“Our world is changing rapidly, bringing new challenges and new opportunities for the architecture and design community,” says Jesse Lazar, associate AIA, executive director, AIA New York and the Center for Architecture. “This year’s theme is a reminder that the future isn’t something that simply happens to us—it’s something we shape together. As architects, designers, and engaged citizens, we have both the responsibility and the opportunity to create a more just, resilient, and inclusive city for the communities we serve.”

People stand and walk inside a subway station with colorful murals; during Archtober 2026, a family poses as others pass by. The scene appears lively and well-lit.
Data Vandals. Photo by Mark Shaw, courtesy of Archtober.

New this year, a special collaboration with NYC-based art duo Data Vandals will transform a newsstand on the downtown 6 train platform at 51st and Lexington into a data-driven community hub. Part of the MTA’s Vacant Unit Activation Program, the project is the latest iteration of the newsstand-turned-community-art-gallery model by artist Jen Ray and visualization designer Jason Forrest of Data Vandals. Through surveys, exhibitions, workshops, music, and a free newspaper, Data Vandals invites subway riders to reflect on their own commuting experiences and share their thoughts with others, creating community in a transitory space. The artwork turns the 52,000 strangers that pass by daily into active participants.

For Archtober, the Data Vandals newsstand will showcase a series of special architecture-themed surveys, designed to prompt participants to reevaluate their place in the city and hopes for its future. Both these surveys and an exterior mural were designed by design agency Greater, and feature New York’s iconic architectural sites.

A modern, multi-story black building with geometric design stands beside an ornate brick structure as people stroll by, with cars parked along the street.
Studio Museum by Adjaye Associates. Photo by Adjaye Associates, courtesy of Archtober.

“Archtober has always been about helping people see the city through a new lens, and this collaboration with Data Vandals brings that mission directly into the everyday experience of New Yorkers,” says Katie Mullen, director of Archtober and director of exhibitions and programs at the Center for Architecture. “The subway is where people from every neighborhood and background intersect, making it an ideal setting for conversations about the city we share and the one we want to build together. We hope this installation reminds people that great design isn’t confined to museums or iconic buildings—it’s all around us, and we all have a stake in its future.”

A person examines a carved pumpkin lit from within, featuring detailed miniature figures and columns, resembling a glowing carousel.
Pumpkitecture at the Center for Architecture. Photo by Samuel Lahoz, courtesy of Archtober.

The rest of the Archtober 2026 lineup is equally compelling. The festival’s favorite pumpkin-carving event returns to the Center for Architecture; Perkins&Will teams up with the Fashion Institute of Technology for a comprehensive exhibition on the firm’s design history; and countless tours take participants through Staten Island’s historic Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, Halloween-themed Cathedral Crypt Crawls at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, and more. The popular architect-led Building of the Day Tours are also back with a loaded lineup, from the New Museum expansion by OMA to the Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center by Studio Gang, and more.

To explore the full scope of what’s in store, visit archtober.org.

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