The City of Tomorrow @ 92nd Street Y

It has already become a tradition, the annual City of Tomorrow: Real Estate, Architecture, and Design Summit, organized by the 92nd Street Y. This time I have made it to the opening evening of this fascinating event, which stimulates more love and admiration to our magical city, and provides information on current topics in the world of architecture and real estate. The event features panel discussions with key players, focusing on the present and future of New York City. The opening evening included three panels. The first, ‘Paving the Way for NYC 2040’ hosted representatives of the City Planning Commission; the Transit Innovation Partnership; and NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, who did not provide any radical solution for the future of these arenas, and neglected to address some of the most relevant issues of our time, including the rundown and dysfunctioning state of public transportation, by which we each suffer daily.

The second panel ‘The Entrepreneurial Spirit in Design,’ moderated by brilliant Wendy Goodman, brought together four voices in the business of design, Malene Barnett; Tiana Webb Evans; Jeanine Hays; and Bryan Mason, who provided interesting insights on matters such as social media, navigating the business of design, and defining success.

The third panel, ‘Designing for Resiliency and the Transcendent in a Mega Urban World’ included four powerhouse and visionary architects, Annabelle Selldorf; Rafael Vinoly; Chris Cooper from SOM; and Daniel Sundlin from BIG. The four discussed intriguing and energizing topics in NYC architecture, demonstrating why they stand at the forefront of the profession. They addressed the Hudson Yards, which was opened to the public yesterday; regulations in skyscrapers construction; how each one of them has made their names in specific aesthetic sensibility; about relationships with developers, and more. If you miss the Summit this year, make sure to make it in 2020.