Archtober's Festival Itineraries offer a curated selection of festival events, hand picked by a thought leader, editor, or creative mind that we admire in New York City. Our next itinerary is from Kim Yao, FAIA, Principal of Architecture Research Office (ARO). Yao holds an undergraduate degree in architecture from Columbia College: Columbia University and a Master of Architecture from Princeton University. She has taught at MIT, Columbia University, Parsons the New School for Design, and Barnard College. She has lectured throughout the United States and abroad. Yao has been awarded the AIA New York (AIANY) Medal of Honor and the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation Mentorship Award, and has been elected to the National Academy of Design (Class of 2025). She was President of AIANY in 2020 and serves on the Board and Executive Committee of the Center for Architecture.

Architecture Research Office is a New York City firm united by their collaborative process, commitment to accountable action, and social and environmental responsibility. Research gives their work purpose and intention. Their architecture unites beauty and form with strategy and intelligence. ARO designs spaces that inspire people, further institutional missions, and advance equity and resilience. This philosophy has earned the firm over one hundred design awards including the 2020 AIA Architecture Firm Award, the AIA New York State Firm of the Year Award, and the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Award for Architecture. Published in October 2024, Architecture. Research. Office. presents ARO’s diverse body of work, its ethos, and the people behind its projects.

Check outwhat Yao is looking forward to during the 2025 festival, and plan your own itinerary!

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1. AIANY Around Manhattan Architecture Boat Tour (morning and afternoon tours daily)

What better way to see the skyline than by boat? Especially with beautiful early fall weather. Every time I take an AIANY Boat Tour, I learn something new about our great city. Learn more and register here.

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2. Westchester’s Twenty-One Acres Enclave on October 5

This is an amazing opportunity to enter homes not typically open to the public—celebrating midcentury modernism just north of the city! I love a great private home tour and having the chance to see houses that have been impeccably maintained, as well as those that have been modified. Learn more and register here.

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3. Tenement Talk: Andrew Dolkart’s Biography of a Tenement on October 8

Two great minds in conversation about a typology that is embedded in our city—this is bound to be educational and entertaining! Equal parts architectural and cultural history, this program reminds us to be curious about our historic, urban fabric. Learn more and register here.

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4. Building of the Day: The Green-Wood Cemetery Education and Welcome Center on October 10

A rare opportunity to visit a building that is not yet open to the public, just outside the gates of the magical Green-Wood Cemetery. And since this is an ARO project, I’ll be participating in the tour—so I hope to see you there! Learn more and register here.

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5. Grace Farms 10 Year Celebration on October 11

‍This is a perfect excuse to venture up to Grace Farms, whether you have visited in the past or not. Explore The River building by Pritzker Prize winning architects SANAA. Engage in the powerful mission of the Design for Freedom movement. Experience dialogue, music, and delicious food within a scenic fall setting—a perfect day trip getaway from the city! Learn more and register here.

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6. Todd Forrest: Creating an Urban Oasis on October 14

‍The New York Botanical Garden is one of my favorite places in New York City. Vast, magical, and intriguing, the NYBG invites us back to discover and explore, to get lost in the beauty (natural and designed) of the plant world. Hear directly from NYBG leader Todd Forrest on the landscape architecture collaborations that form the backbone of this experience. Learn more and register here.