News + Ideas
Thank you to the Urban Design Forum for selecting us as part of the inaugural cohort of the Forefront Residency. With their support, we will continue our work to advance public bathrooms and contribute to shaping a city that's inclusive and equitable for all.
Thank you to The Architectural League of New York and New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) for funding our study: Revitalizing New York City’s Public Bathroom System: A Vision for the Future. Read our recent article in Urban Omnibus, Where can the Public Bathrooms Go in New York City.
“They bring their deep expertise to bear and map out a path for the City to meet the moment. A citywide network will require a pragmatic approach, ensuring that private entities give back some of what they have taken from the public realm. But it can ultimately build a bathroom infrastructure that serves well beyond basic needs.”
PXD is WBE Certified in NYS!
We are pleased to share that the New York State Department of Economic Development, Division of Minority and Women's Business Development (DMWBD) has officially certified Purpose by Design Architects as a Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE)! This complements our previous city WBE recognition.
Thank you Urban Design Forum for the Fellow Spotlight! Check out the interview with Julie Chou here.
“An architect and civic leader, Julie is passionate about making New York City's built environment more equitable and inclusive. Since first taking on the topic as a 2018 Forefront Fellow, Julie has become a leading advocate in the movement for public bathroom access.
Whether at Community Board meeting or in a serendipitous sidewalk conversation with a stranger, Julie believes in the power of hearing other New Yorkers’ experiences of their city as she works to improve it through urban design and democratic advocacy.”
We are excited to have Rachel Simpson guiding the next generation of designers to tackle environmental challenges that will help improve people's lives and safeguard our planet. She is currently teaching Ecological Design at Parsons School of Design.
“The course merges high-performance design in building and material systems with ecological analysis: passive heating and cooling; zero waste; regenerative, closed-looped systems; and design for health and well-being. Students will apply knowledge and skills learned to the selection of appropriate strategies and products that evidence the complexity in designing for multiple project performance goals.”
PXD is WBE Certifed in NYC!
We are thrilled to announce that the NYC Department of Small Business Affairs has officially certified Purpose by Design Architects as a Women-Owned Business Enterprise (WBE)! Together we will continue our passion for work that inspires, transforms, and reflects the unique stories of our clients and community partners.
We’re thrilled to have contributed to Urban Design Forum’s "Good Form: 73 Ideas for a Healthier New York City", a menu of ideas and case studies for addressing health disparities through neighborhood planning. We had a great time hearing some big ideas at the capstone celebration last week, and we’re excited to share them more widely now!
Over the last year, PXD principals Julie Chou and Rachel Simpson worked with a group of 30 Urban Design Forum Fellows to envision how the built environment can improve physical and mental health outcomes through the Spaces for Healing Working Group. We hope for a healthier, more compassionate NYC for everyone.
Check out our working group’s ideas and download the report on Urban Design Forum’s website here!
As part of Jane’s Walk NYC 2023, Julie led a walking tour called "Where Are The Public Bathrooms in New York City?" She was joined by over a dozen local residents who shared their own experiences and ideas on how to improve NYC's public bathroom system while touring a handful of the existing public bathroom locations. We're excited to help bring awareness to this pressing issue and to continue advocating for more comprehensive and equitable solutions!
Congratulations to Kamila Altman, AIA CPHD on her appointment to Co-Chair of AIANY’s Design for Aging Committee! Kami brings a passion for designing spaces that encourage inclusivity and that make aging in place more comfortable and safe.
What do YOU think New York can do to better accommodate inclusive design? Let us know!
In October, Julie, Rachel, and the rest of the Good Form Working Groups wrapped up their brainstorming and visioning process as part of the Urban Design Forum’s “Good Form” series, exploring the intersection of public health and the urban realm. Next up: policy and action recommendations to help make New York City a healthier, safer, and stronger community.
What does a healthier, more caring NYC look like to you?
In May 2022, Julie and Rachel were selected as two of thirty fellows to take part in the Urban Design Forum’s “Good Form” working groups, as part of the organization’s call for action. From May to October, the working groups will study the question: How can we mobilize design and public health advocates to visualize new and transformative ways to shape a healthier city?
Meet the other fellows here!
“Will New York City Finally Get More Public Bathrooms” - Bloomberg, July 24, 2022
“The history of public restrooms parallels fights for social justice, from racially segregated bathrooms in the Jim-Crow era US South to the ongoing debate over transgender access to toilets today.”
“We need retail bathrooms open to the public as well as a variety of government-operated public bathrooms,” Chou says. “Public bathrooms are not a one-size-fits-all solution.”
Check out the March 2022 issue of the New York Real Estate Journal, profiling Kamila as one of their 2022 Women in Construction.
On December 1, 2021, Kamila, Julie, and Rachel joined New York Passive House (NYPH), along with Sara Bayer and Joe Moyer, to present “ARCHITECTS FOCUS | Mainstreaming High Performance”, using MAP’s seven NYSERDA Buildings of Excellence winning projects as case studies on adopting healthy, efficient, and low carbon strategies and the ways in which the affordable housing industry is pushing the boundary in sustainable design.
See the presentation here!
“No Place to Go When You Need to Go? These New Yorkers Have Ideas” - New York Times, July 3, 2021
The pandemic ignited a conversation about the use of public space, but the city’s lack of public restrooms has led to long lines and some uncomfortable situations.
“Public open space is a big conversation right now because of COVID, but the public bathroom has to be part of that conversation if you’re going to expand our public space.”
- Julie Chou
On January 28, 2021, Build Out Alliance hosted 'Love Overflowing', a virtual exhibition of residential projects that serve the LGBTQ community in New York City; Kamila Altman and Julie Chou, along with Sara Bayer, joined the panel to share several supportive housing projects in MAP’s portfolio developed specifically for this community.
See the full presentation here!