Open Call for 2026 MASterworks Design Awards

Press Release

Pay tribute to New York City projects that show excellence in architecture and urban design

October 6, 2025  |  New York, NY

MAS is now accepting nominations for the 2026 MASterworks Design Awards! Projects completed between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2025, are eligible. The deadline for submissions is Monday, November 17 at 11:59 PM ET.

Make a Nomination!

Established in 2001, the MASterworks Awards pay tribute to projects that exemplify excellence in architecture and urban design with a focus on works that enhance the public realm for the benefit of New Yorkers.

Projects can be nominated in up to two of the following categories:

● Best New Building for outstanding architectural design,
● Best Urban Landscape for a new or revitalized open space that contributes to livability and resilience,
● Best Restoration for a project that expertly enhances the original qualities of a significant historic building or structure,
● Best Adaptive Reuse for a project that demonstrates exceptional creativity in adaptive reuse of an existing building or structure,
● Best New Infrastructure for distinctive design in public service projects, and
● Best New Urban Amenity for an addition to the built environment that contributes to a more livable city.
● Best Environmental Innovation for an exceptional project that enhances the environmental resiliency of the city

To be eligible for a 2026 MASterworks design award, projects must be located within the five boroughs of New York City and have been completed between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2025. The jury will prioritize projects that provide a public benefit.

Last year's MASterworks Honorees.

Past winners range in size and scope from iconic buildings to hidden neighborhood gems, and include Weeksville Heritage Center, David Geffen Hall, McCarren Pool and Bathhouse, Endale Arch, Newtown Creek Nature Walk, and the Gowanus Canal Sponge Park.

Every year, MAS convenes an esteemed jury of architects, designers, preservationists, scholars, and critics to select the winners of the MASterworks Awards. This year’s distinguished jury is as follows:

● Isabel Castilla, Associate Partner, Field Operations
● Phu Duong, Founding Principal, Urban X Design LLC
● Everardo Jefferson, Principal and Founder, Caples Jefferson Architects PC
● Daphne Lundi, Managing Director, Urban Ocean Lab

Questions? Email us at events@mas.org.