MASterworks Awards

Established in 2001, the MASterworks Design Awards recognize projects completed in the previous year that exemplify excellence across the municipal arts of architecture, landscape architecture, preservation, and public art. From iconic buildings to neighborhood gems, our list of past winners includes the likes of Weeksville Heritage Center, David Geffen Hall, Adams Street Library, McCarren Pool and Bathhouse, Tenement Museum, Endale Arch, the TKTS Booth, Newtown Creek Nature Walk, High Bridge, and the Gowanus Canal Sponge Park.

Related content:

News + Reports History

Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center. Photo Credit: Alexander Severin.
photo 1 of 14
The Studio Museum in Harlem. Photo Credit: Dror Baldinger
photo 2 of 14
Davis Center at the Harlem Meer. Photo Credit: Central Park Conservancy.
photo 3 of 14
Kelly Park Playground. Photo Credit: JR Cruz
photo 4 of 14
The Frick. Photo credit: Joe Coscia Jr.
photo 5 of 14
Waldorf Astoria New York. Lucas Blair Simpson © SOM (before), Dave Burk © SOM (after)
photo 6 of 14
The Refinery at Domino. Photo Credit: Max Touhey
photo 7 of 14
Manhattan Pet Adoption Center. Photo Credit: Alex Fradkin
photo 8 of 14
DUMBO Archway Plaza Bleachers. Photo Credit: Noemie Trusty
photo 9 of 14
Gowanus Lowlands. Photo Credit: SCAPE/Ty Cole
photo 10 of 14
'Exodus and Dance' Restoration at Kingsborough Houses. Photo Credit: New York City Housing Authority
photo 11 of 14
Gotham Park. Photo Credit: Jay Maldonado
photo 12 of 14
PENN 2. Photo Credit: Magda Biernat
photo 13 of 14
Plaza 33. Photo Credit: Michael Moran
photo 14 of 14

Criteria

All nominated projects must be located in New York City and have been completed in the previous year. 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
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

2026 Honorees

Best New Building
The Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center by Studio Gang
Studio Museum in Harlem by Adjaye Associates

Best New Urban Landscape
The Davis Center at the Harlem Meer by Susan T. Rodriguez Architecture and the Central Park Conservancy
Kelly Park Playground by NYC Parks

Best Restoration
The Frick Collection by Selldorf Architects and Beyer Blinder Belle
Waldorf Astoria New York by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

Best Adaptive Reuse
The Refinery at Domino by Practice for Architecture & Urbanism and Field Operations
The Manhattan Pet Adoption Center by Studio Joseph

Best New Urban Amenity
The DUMBO Archway Plaza Bleachers by AECOM

Best Environmental Innovation
Gowanus Lowlands by SCAPE, Gowanus Canal Conservancy, and NYC Department of City Planning

Best Public Art Restoration
Exodus and Dance Frieze by Richard Barthé at the Kingsborough Houses restored by Jemco Electrical Contractors, EverGreene Architectural Arts, and the New York City Housing Authority

Special Recognition
Gotham Park by the New York City Department of Transportation
PENN 2 by MdeAS Architects and Plaza 33 by MNLA

2026 Jury

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

Read more about our 2026 Jury >

2026 Ceremony

The MASterworks Awards Ceremony will be held in the spring of 2026.

View photos from the 2024 Awards Ceremony.

2024 Recipients

Best New Building Far Rockaway Library
Best Urban Landscape Shore Front Parkway Beach 98th Playground
Best Restoration 550 Madison
Best Adaptive Reuse Pier 57
Best New Infrastructure East Midtown Greenway and Andrew Haswell Green Park Phase 2B
Best New Urban Amenity Bronx Point
Best Environmental Innovation Inwood Hill Nature Center Post-Sandy Reconstruction

Richard Morris Hunt Patrons enjoy behind-the-scenes tours and other special events