We Are OACny

 

OAC New York activates local, pro-bono creative professionals to deliver design and development solutions that actualize the potential of our local communities.  We are the longest operating OAC chapter, serving our community for over 12 years. Our volunteers work to build a more sustainable future across the five boroughs of New York City, with over 75 completed projects throughout the city. Our annual Day of Impact mobilizes over 100 people to serve a handful of community projects over one day.

We believe that everyone deserves a well-designed environment. We strive to collaborate with local community organizations to develop and implement quality design solutions within their neighborhoods. We thrive when we bring together communities, like-minded organizations, and design professionals to implement the visions of New York City's neighborhoods.

Thanks to everyone who came to our first Volunteer Appreciation Picnic! And great to see our community partner @lafincadelsur out to join us! The pandemic has made it challenging to maintain the connections that make OACNY worthwhile, it was great to
Come join us for a day (or 2!) of volunteering with the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance! We will be installing cabinetry, hardware, carpeting and other finishing touches on their office renovation. We are welcoming volunteers on Saturday 06/04 and Sunday
We still need volunteers for an exciting day of woodworking on 2/19 and 2/26! We are renovating the office of @concretesafaris , a non profit organization that provides programs for East Harlem young people that encourage health, exercise, and explor
The office renovation for Concrete Safaris is finally becoming a reality! The fabulous design by @mbbarchitects is ready to be built. Come join us on one or both workdays on 2/19 or 2/26 to help construct the cabinetry! Volunteers should be able to u
 
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Our Design Approach

Open Architecture New York (OACNY) acknowledges that design professionals have been for too long complicit in the historic and systemic oppression and segregation of Black, Brown and marginalized communities. Institutionalized racism has been precipitated by the rules, regulations, and policies that architects, planners, and designers have helped author. 

Our mission is to support communities through pro-bono design services. We recognize that the reasons that our work is needed are due to the unjust distribution of investments among neighborhoods and unequal access to quality design in New York City . 

OACNY is committed to mobilize those who want to work differently and to break down the white supremacy culture in our systems. We believe that if we are not explicitly acting against systemic racism and oppression, we are contributing to its persistence. We strive to keep ourselves accountable through meaningful relationships with community partners beyond just physical design, but also through honest evaluation of our work. 

To that end, we are committed to approach our projects under the following principles: 

  1. We use design to ADVOCATE for and support community groups and their communities.

  2. We FACILITATE and CO-CREATE projects that are developed with and by the community.

  3. We CENTER the voices of those who are directly impacted by the projects over the intentions of the designer.

  4. We PRIORITIZE deep listening, shared design knowledge, and meaningful dialogue that respect everyone’s lived experience.

  5. We believe in using our work as a process and a mean to make information and design more ACCESSIBLE and INCLUSIVE.

  6. We work toward design solutions that REFLECT what is already working in the community and ENSURE that the end results can BE SUSTAINED by the community itself

We ask our partners and volunteers to join us and hold us accountable in practicing design according to these principles, and we welcome feedback, recommendations, and suggestions from all of you on how we can achieve this vision, together.  We will evaluate our organizational structure to prioritize partnerships with BIPOC-led organizations and create space for BIPOC members.