AIA Center for Architecture

After five years of planning, the Center for Architecture opened to acclaim in the fall of 2003. Founded in 1867, the organization languished for years on the sixth floor of a Lexington Avenue edifice, far out of sight (and mind) for all but the most devoted architecture aficionados. After a design competition, Andrew Berman Architect was chosen to transform the space into a fitting home for architectural debate. Berman cut away large slabs of flooring at the street and basement levels, converting underground spaces into bright, museum-quality galleries. The building is New York’s first public space to use an energy-efficient geothermal system. Water from two 1,260-foor wells is piped through the building to help heat and cool it.