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 first itinerary for the 2026 festival comes from Mark L. Gardner, AIA, NOMA, the 2026 President of AIA New York. Mark is a principal at the New York-based Jaklitsch/Gardner Architects (J/GA), an award-winning design practice and studio that works across scales from product design to interiors to buildings.

Mark is a Past President and Advocacy Chair for nycobaNOMA, the New York Chapter of the National Organization of Minority Architects, and the Associate Professor of Architectural Practice and Society at the School of the Constructed Environments, Parsons School of Design at the New School, where he was Director of the M.Arch Program from 2017-2021. He served on the Van Alen Institute’s Board of Trustees, the Board of Advisors for the University of Pennsylvania Weitzman School of Design, and the Board of Youth Design Center (YDC) in Brownsville Brooklyn. Mark currently serves on the Board of the Let Freedom Ring Foundation in Williamsburg, Va and the Advisory Board of the Center for the Preservation of Civil Rights Sites (CPCRS).

Take a look at what Gardner is looking forward to at the 2026 festival, and plan your own itinerary!

1. AIANY Around Manhattan Architecture Boat Tour (Classic Harbor Line)

The best way to see and understand New York as a coastal city. You can experience Manhattan Island from Battery Park to the Cloisters and hear the stories of the city from expert tour guides. Learn more and register here: AIANY Architecture Boat Tour.

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2. Ancestral Ecologies Sunset Tour October 8

I love all our Botanic Gardens in NYC. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden is my home ground. Get a special guided tour of this site-specific exhibition by artist Olalekan Jeyifous and environmental art and architecture practice AD – WO.  Learn more and register here: Ancestreal Ecologies Sunset Tour.

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3. Building of the Day: Storm King on October 10

An AIANY 2026 Design Award Winner by WXY and Heneghan Peng Architects. This is one of the rites of fall to visit this sculpture park. It has been radically rethought as a minimal frame to the environment. We outside. Learn more and register here: Storm King Art Center Tour.

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4. Book Talks: Francis Kéré, Spirits Out of Trees on October 5 and The Bloomsbury Global Encyclopedia of Women in Architecture, 1960-2020 on October 15

The Center for Architecture has amazing Book Talks throughout the year. I love the work of Francis Kéré. He builds from a place of care and community. The Global Encyclopedia tells narratives around the contributions of women to the profession. These are stories that have to told and retold to new generations. Learn more and register here: .Francis Kéré, Spirits Out of Trees | The Bloomsbury Global Encyclopedia of Women in Architecture, 1960-2020.

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5. The Architecture & Design Film Festival (ADFF) Opening Night October 12

ADFF opens its 2026–27 lineup with the premiere of MUNDO FRÁGIL directed by acclaimed filmmakers Ila Bêka & Louise Lemoine. Following the screening is an opportunity to hear from one of my favorite architects and the subject of the documentary, Smiljan Radić. Learn more and register here: Architecture & Design Film Festival Opening Night.

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6. Building of the Day: The Green-Wood Cemetery Education and Welcome Center on October 16

Green-Wood has always been one of my favorite scenic landscapes in our city. The cemetery is a National Historic Landmark. Visit the historic Victorian greenhouse and the new Architecture Research Office-designed Education and Welcome Center. Learn more and register here: The Green-Wood Cemetery Education and Welcome Center Tour.

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7. Grace Farms on October 24

‍Four founders—Francine Houben (Mecanoo), Dorte Mandrup (Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter), Sharon Prince (Grace Farms, Grace Farms Tea & Coffee), and Julia Gamolina (Madame Architect)—share perspectives to inspire greater connection with our irreplaceable planet. Moderated by Julia Gamolina, Editor-in-Chief at Madame Architect, the panel will explore visual examples of materiality, sustainability, and the diverse beauty of our global landscape. Learn more and register: Grace Farms Founders Talk.

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