Since 2001, The Municipal Art Society of New York’s MASterworks Design Awards have paid tribute to projects that exemplify excellence across the municipal arts of architecture, landscape architecture, preservation, and public art. The 2027 open call for project submissions is now open through Friday, November 13 at 11:59 PM ET. Projects based in New York City and completed between January 1, 2026, and December 31, 2026, are eligible for submission.

Our past honorees, which range from iconic buildings to neighborhood gems, include the Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center, Pier 57, and the Northeast Bronx YMCA. Read more about them:

The Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center, designed by Studio Gang and a 2026 honoree for Best New Building, delivers a 74,000-square-foot NYC Parks Department recreation center to the heart of Brooklyn. The building brings impressive swimming and athletic facilities, in addition to educational programming spaces, making for a vibrant social hub for the East Flatbush and Midwood neighborhoods.  

Pier 57, designed by Handel Architects, was awarded the Best Adaptive Reuse honor in 2024 for bringing new open space and economic vitality to the Hudson River waterfront. The revamped historic terminal building demonstrates extraordinary versatility, comprising a public rooftop park, commercial office spaces, a performance venue, a food market, and community spaces.

In 2022, the Northeast Bronx YMCA, designed by MARVEL, received the Best New Building honor recognizing the campus’ medley of thoughtfully designed buildings and green space. Located on E. 229th Street, it fulfills its longtime dream of having its own multigenerational community center and hub.  

We invite project teams from across New York City to submit their recent projects for consideration. Learn more and make a submission.