2025 SARA NY Design Awards - 30th Anniversary

On June 10th, 2025 SARA NY hosted our 30th Annual Design Awards Gala at The View at the Battery in Manhattan, New York. Nearly 300 architects, contractors, and vendors convened to connect with each other to celebrate and to honor design achievements in architecture. Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2025 SARA NY Design Awards. We would also like to thank our keynote speakers for the evening, Angel A. Dizon III (Northwestern University) & Christine Foushee (the CHANGE collective) for the wonderful conversation about Maximizing Impact in the Built Environment. Thank you to the jurors for this year's awards: Brian Messana (Messana O’Rorke), Davi Weber (BIG), Matthew Stephenson (Woods Bagot), Valerie Costa (MJM+A/SARANY), & Sean Pickering (RAMSA/SARANY).

Thank you to our sponsors of the 2025 SARA NY Design Awards. Platinum Sponsor: Mohawk Group Gold Sponsors: Audio Command Systems, Chasm, Consigli, Curtis + Ginsberg Architects, Daltile, Häfele, SBJ Group, Schluter Systems, and Zetlin & De Chiara. Annual Sponsors: ACNY, ARK Design AI, Benjamin Moore, Brickworks Design Studio, Glen-Gery, & NanaWall.

And finally, thank you to the SARA NY Board of Directors for once again creating a safe and inclusive event to celebrate architecture.

Read on for the full list of winners and their winning designs, and do check out some of the highlights from the evening's event in our gallery below.

2025 SARA NY DESIGN AWARD PHOTOS 2025 SARA NY DESIGN AWARD STEP & REPEAT PHOTOS

2025 SPECIAL AWARD WINNERS

Outstanding Achievement Award for the Enhancement of the Profession of Architecture

BARRY MILOWITZ

This year’s recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award for the Enhancement of the Profession of Architecture, the highest honor SARA NY awards to an individual, is Barry Milowitz. Barry founded the New York Council and became the first SARA NY Council President of SARA in 1971. Growing SARA NY from less than a handful of members to the established organization it is today, it’s through Barry’s meticulous dedication, efforts, and council that has kept SARA NY vested in the belief that great achievements can be made in the spirit of “Architect Helping Architect.” Thank you Barry! Read further to hear from Barry himself on his experience in founding the SARA NY Council.

“SARA was founded in 1956 in Atlanta, Georgia as an alternate to the AIA which at the time frowned on the concept of design-build. It existed primarily in the Midwest with about 100 members. The headquarters was in Chicago, Illinois when in 1971 I became the first member from New York. I was asked to form the New York council and I became the first president along with three other members who I convinced to join.

The concept of the Society was Architect Helping Architect at a time when architects were fiercely competitive and not very collegial. The few members that we had liked the idea of collaborating and helping each other as we would share experiences and fee structures with each other. The idea of asking another architect about designing a project type that was new was not very popular at the time and the few of us quickly became friends and consultants to each other.

In the mid 1970s the Council grew and it eventually surpassed the Midwest to become the largest Council in the national organization and we moved our headquarters to New York. Our New York members became active nationally and many of us served on the National Board. My national presidency was in 1998 and 1999. We became a professional “family” as one member put it and we spent our quarterly board meetings around the country meeting other architects and visiting architecturally significant sites.

Once Covid 19 happened, our typical in person meetings became relegated to zoom. Now we have reclaimed our position as a provider of CEU’s and we are mentoring the future architects of our profession. I personally became a member of NCARB in 1971 and I was licensed in 18 states before there was a national building code-every state had its own code. AS I look back on my career of over 50 years, I can happily say that many of my SARA colleagues have been my close friends. “ - Barry Milowitz, 1st President and Founder of the SARA NY Council

The Innovation in Affordable Housing Award

The Atrium at sumner houses
brooklyn, New York, USA

by Studio Libeskind

The Innovation in Adaptive Reuse Award

WHIN Music Community charter school
new york, New York, USA

by GLUCK+

The Innovation in Humanitarian Service Award

Lahaina Homes
Lahaina, hawaii, USA

by DXA Studio

2025 WINNERS

Design Awards of Excellence

**Rice+Lipka Architects & Starr Whitehouse**
Philmont Rising
Village of Philmont, New York, USA

**1100 Architect**
NYC Parks Luis Lopez Modular Comfort Station
Staten Island, New York, USA

**Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect**
Slayton House Renovation and Addition
Washington, D.C., USA

**DXA studio**
Bergen Brooklyn
Brooklyn, New York, USA

**CTA Architects P.C.**
Shirley A. Chisholm State Office Building Restoration
Brooklyn, New York, USA

**Ronnette Riley Architect**
Kingsborough Houses ”Exodus and Dance” Frieze Restoration
Brooklyn, New York, USA

**SBJ Group**
Hotel Barrière Fouquet’s New York
New York, New York, USA

**Sanjay Puri Architects**
Aatma Manthan Museum
Nathdwara, Rajasthan, India

**Desai Chia Architecture**
Osprey House
Shelter Island, New York, USA

**WEISS/MANFREDI**
The West Conservatory at Longwood Gardens
Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA

**RAMSA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects)**
Shinsegae Namsan
Jung District, Seoul, Republic of Korea

**Alloy Architecture**
505 State Street
Brooklyn, New York, USA

**Mitchell Giurgola Architects LLP**
Melrose Library, New York Public Library
Bronx, New York, USA

***Oza Sabbeth Architects***
Sandpiper
Bridgehampton, New York, USA

***Joeb Moore & Partners***
Meadow Pavilion
Cross River, New York, USA

***Think! Architecture + Design***
St Philip Neri Affordable Housing
Bronx, New York, USA

***Meier Partners***
The Sorol Art Museum
Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea

***BKSK Architects***
50 Ninth Ave
New York, New York, USA

***HMWhite***
Radio Park at Rockefeller Center
New York, New York, USA

Design Awards of Honor

**DXA studio**
10W 17th Street
New York, New York, USA

**1100 Architect**
Convent of the Sacred Heart, Future Lab and Library
New York, New York, USA

**CetraRuddy Architecture**
SoMA New York, New York, USA

***Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect***
Etlan Farm House
Etlan, Virginia, USA

***Gensler***
Pearl House
New York, New York, USA

***Handel Architects***
OZMA
Washington, D.C., USA

***Khanna Schultz Architecture and Design DPC***
House in the Lanes
Amagansett, New York, USA

***Studio Figure***
Bedford Market
Lynchburg, Virginia, USA

**Hanbury**
UNC Charlotte Student Center: Space for Wellness + Ritual Washing
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

**Hanbury**
CASA Playhouse/ Brown Bear’s Cave Richmond, Virginia, USA

**Hanbury**
sPARK Leasing Center Morrisville, North Carolina, USA

***Eric J. Smith Architect***
Texas Countryside Ranch Texas, USA

***Daniel Joseph Chenin, Ltd.***
Nakaniwa Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

***Ward | Blake Architects***
ChaChe Guest House Wilson, Wyoming, USA

***Ward | Blake Architects***
Ridge 52 Residence Jackson, Wyoming, USA

***Architecture Plus Information (A+I)***
Macquarie Group Americas Headquarters New York, New York, USA

***MVRDV***
The Canyon San Francisco, California, USA

***ikon.5 architects***
Student Center at Portsmouth Abbey School Portsmouth, Rhode Island, USA

***SPG Architects***
Bedford Barn Renovation and Addition Bedford, New York, USA

***Lynch Eisinger Design Architects***
a16z NYC Headquarters New York, New York, USA

***Magnusson Architecture and Planning PC***
Casa Celina Bronx, New York, USA

***Sanjay Puri Architects***
Narsighar Nokha, Rajasthan, India

***S9 Architecture***
Pier 57 New York, New York, USA

***S9 Architecture***
Neuhoff Nashville, Tennessee, USA

***S9 Architecture***
One Hanover Square New York, New York, USA

***S9 Architecture***
111 Varick New York, New York, USA

**S9 Architecture**
Bronx Point Bronx, New York, USA

***Elkus Manfredi Architects***
TMC³ Collaborative Building Houston, Texas, USA

***RAMSA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects)***
The Newbury at Brookline Brookline, Massachusetts, USA

***RAMSA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects)***
General Assembly Building Richmond, Virginia, USA

***RAMSA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects)***
McCourt School of Public Policy (Georgetown University) Washington, District of Columbia, USA

***RAMSA (Robert A.M. Stern Architects)***
Timashev Family Music Building & Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts Building (The Ohio State University) Columbus, Ohio, USA

**Garnett.DePasquale**
Meadowlark Sag Harbor, New York, USA

***SheltonMindel***
Veritas Collection New York, New York, USA

***SheltonMindel***
Art Aerie Above Central Park New York, New York, USA

***Mitchell Giurgola Architects LLP***
Center for Well-Being - Barnard College New York, New York, USA

***Nelligan/White Architects, PLLC***
Bronx International / Morris High School Exterior Rehabilitation Bronx, New York, USA

***ISTUDIO Architects***
Powell Elementary School Washington, District of Columbia, USA

**Woods Bagot**
Central Park North New York, New York, USA

**Goshow Architects, LLP**
Queensborough Performing Arts Center (QPAC) Queens, New York, USA

**Joeb Moore & Partners**
Hill House Salisbury, Connecticut, USA

**Lawrence Kim / A+U LAB**
41,415 Straws Busan, Republic of Korea

**Dattner Architects**
The Shefa School New York, New York, USA

**Mark English Architects**
Cow Hollow San Francisco, California, USA

Design Awards of Merit

***DXA studio***
140 W 81st Street
New York, New York, USA

***Cass Calder Smith Architecture + Interiors***
Healdsburg Residence
Healdsburg, California,USA

***Gensler***
The Walt Disney Company NYC Headquarters
New York, New York, USA

***Gensler***
Delta One Lounge
Queens, New York, USA

**Jack L. Gordon Architects**
PS-85Q New School Annex
Queens, New York, USA

***JG Neukomm Architecture***
Dyson Flagship Soho
New York, New York, USA

**Farewell Architects LLC**
The Environmental Center at the Watershed Institute
Pennington, New Jersey, USA

***CTA Architects P.C.***
P.S. 206Q
New York, New York, USA

**Handel Architects**
Gotham Point
New York, New York, USA

***MBB Architects***
New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission
New York, New York, USA

***vonDALWIG Architecture***
dna Model Management
New York, New York, USA

***Andrea Steele Architecture***
L10 Arts and Cultural Center
Brooklyn, New York, USA

***Jacobschang Architecture***
Raible House
Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, USA

***Katz Architecture & Project Management and Oficina Design***
Artists in Residence - A Home for Traveling Performers
Brooklyn, New York, USA

***BKSK Architects***
Queens Botanical Garden Education Building
Queens, New York, USA

***Hanbury***
Syngenta North American Crop Protection HQ
Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

***Curtis + Ginsberg Architects***
Harlem River Houses
New York, New York, USA

***Curtis + Ginsberg Architects***
HELP ONE
Brooklyn, New York, USA

***GLUCK+***
Central Queens Academy Charter School
Queens, New York, USA

***Arpad Baksa Architect, PC***
Waverly Row Houses
New York, New York, USA

***Ennead Architects***
Cambridge Crossing: 441 Morgan Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts, USA

***Schneider Architectural Works***
Renovation & Restoration at La Selva
Upper Brookville, New York, USA

***The Brooklyn Studio***
Brooklyn Heights Greek Revival
Brooklyn, New York, USA

***BAILORULL***
Hotel Qgat Extension
Sant Cugat, Barcelona, Spain

***S9 Architecture***
Water Building II at the Wharf
Washington, District of Columbia, USA

***Ian Smith Design Group***
Vare Recreational Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

***Studio Joseph***
Visible Vault: Open Collections Storage
Washington, District of Columbia, USA

***Bernheimer Architecture***
MALIN+GOETZ Apothecary, Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, California, USA

***Think! Architecture + Design***
Strongbox Theater
East Rockaway, New York, USA

***Mitchell Giurgola Architects***
Sunset Park Library, Brooklyn Public Library
Brooklyn, New York, USA

***ISTUDIO Architects***
Van Ness Elementary School
Washington, District of Columbia, USA

***AECOM LAUD NYC***
Sendero Verde
New York, New York, USA

***AECOM***
Greenland Mianyang Mixed-use Tower
Mianyang, Sichuan, China

***CANNONDESIGN***
Northwell Health Petrocelli Surgical Pavilion
North Hempstead, New York, USA

***CANNONDESIGN***
St Vincent Hall - Health Sciences Center
Jamaica, New York, USA

***Aaron McDonald Architect***
”Recursives” Custom Door and Cabinet Hardware
New York, New York, USA

***INI Design Studio***
Atal Sarovar at Rajkot Smart City Under Smart City Mission, Government of India
Rajkot, Gujarat, India

***Neumann & Rudy Architecture LLC***
Modern Roots
Dover Plains, New York, USA

***S. Wieder Architects***
AI in Architecture Award Winner
New York, New York, USA

2025 STUDENT WINNERS

Kathryn Marie Firneis Memorial Student Award

DESIGN AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

Kopychyntsi Housing Project
Bozeman, montana, USA

by Parker Trost | Clemson University & Montana State University

SARA NY is proud to bestow the 2025 Kathryn Marie Firneis Memorial Student Scholarship Award to Parker Trost, Clemson University & Montana State University, for his project Kopychyntsi Housing Project.The town of Kopychyntsi, Ukraine has taken in refugees from the eastern front and is now in need of more housing. As the Kopychyntsi looks to the post-war future, a more sustainable housing model that addresses the needs for shelter, water, energy, heat, and community is called for.

Ukrainian nights can be cold and ruthless, especially during war. With essential infrastructure being a popular target for Russian attacks, many homes reliant on the existing grid fall victim to constant power outages. Some have lost more than electricity and fled to safety in western Ukraine. The town of Kopychyntsi has taken in refugees and is now in need of more housing.
As the Kopychyntsi looks to the post-war future, a more sustainable housing model that addresses the needs for shelter, water, energy, heat, and community is called for.

Through passive design strategies and lessons from the traditional Ukrainian Pich Stove, warm places of living and gathering will create homes for the displaced, community amongst strangers, and revive a Ukrainian tradition in times of uncertainty.

Kopychyntsi is a small town of 7,000 individuals. However, with the war on the eastern front, the town has taken in nearly 5,000 refugees. As the Kopychyntsi’s leadership is hopeful the conflict will abide, the mayor, Bogdan Kelichavyi, reached out through mutual connections at Montana State University School of Architecture to design master plan proposals for higher-density housing in a post-war context. The call for more housing was to provide immediate shelter for those displaced by war and homes to grow the town’s capacity and population permanently.

Circular court yard housing allows for a few things: One efficient circulation of heat throughout a shared duct, inspired by the Ukrainian Pich Stove. Two, even and distributed access to direct daylight allowing for passive heat gain. And three, it provides every occupant an individual entry in both front and back of the units, promoting individuality and ownership to those who have already lost so much.

While these packages were not designed for construction purposes, they have been and will continue to be used as presentation material in federal relief proposals to secure funding for the town.