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Rafael Viñoly Architects

@rva_ny

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Internationally renowned architectural firm with projects spanning six continents.
http://vinoly.com/

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The Tokyo International Forum is a stunning 25-year-old cultural hub that combines world-class architecture with urban connectivity, housing seven performing arts halls, 34 meeting rooms, and a massive exhibition hall.

A standout feature is its 750-foot-long Glass Hall, with a lattice roof supported by just two columns, resembling a whale skeleton by day and glowing like a lantern by night.

This iconic space has hosted over 23 million visitors for events ranging from music festivals to academic conferences, cementing its place as a landmark of Tokyo’s cosmopolitan spirit.

The AIA Twenty-five Year Award is awarded to a building that has set an architectural design standard of excellence for 25–35 years. Congrats to the architecture firm Rafael Viñoly Architects for receiving this honor in 2024!

📸 by Kawasumi-Kobayashi Kenji (1, 7-8), Kenichi Suzuki (2, 5-6), Tokyo International Forum (3-4),

#AIA #ArchitecturalPhotography #ArchitectureLovers #AirportDesign by @rva_ny

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2 years ago

A New Chapter for Detroit’s Historic Barbour School

Rafael Viñoly Architects is proud to announce our appointment to lead the transformation of Detroit’s historic Levi Barbour Intermediate School, bringing new life to a century-old architectural landmark and helping shape the future of education on the city’s east side.

Working alongside entrepreneur and education advocate Kyle Smitley, founder and executive director of Detroit Achievement Academy and Detroit Prep, and a multidisciplinary project team that includes Parts and Labor Design, we are reimagining the historic school as a vibrant center for learning, building on Smitley’s vision of expanding access to high-quality public education in Detroit.

Vacant since 2009, the approximately 186,000-square-foot building in the city’s Pingree Park neighborhood presents an extraordinary opportunity to reconnect a significant piece of Detroit’s architectural heritage with the community it was built to serve.

The ambitious adaptive reuse project seeks to preserve and celebrate the building’s defining architectural qualities while introducing the infrastructure, technology, accessibility, and sustainability measures necessary to support contemporary education. The transformation represents an investment in the neighborhood’s future while carrying forward the civic and cultural significance of its historic architecture.

At the heart of the project is the belief that the spaces where children learn should be as ambitious and inspiring as the students themselves. By bringing together thoughtful design, historic preservation, and an innovative educational mission, the renewed Barbour School has the potential to become a lasting resource for students, families, and the surrounding community.

Together with Kyle Smitley and this exceptional project team, we are writing the next chapter in Barbour School’s history, honoring its past while preparing it to serve a new generation. by @rva_ny

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a day ago

What are the essential components to making a museum that inspires and endures?

This month, Partners Román Viñoly and Bassam Komati were joined by the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation EVP Cory Crowley and @aia.international VP Stephanie Kinnick for “Built to Inspire: The Making of a Museum,” a conversation at @nyuabudhabi exploring the ideas, complexities, and decisions behind contemporary museum architecture.

Román and Bassam shared perspectives on how architectural ideas evolve from an institution’s vision through design and technical delivery to an impactful visitor experience, drawing on Rafael Viñoly Architects’ vast museum portfolio, which spans multiple cultural and geographic contexts.

The conversation, delivered by @riba_gulf_chapter and sponsored by @aiamiddleeast , offered an opportunity to consider how museums can become enduring places for cultural memory and vital assets for public life.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in Abu Dhabi and online, and to our collaborators for making this conversation possible. To hear the full conversation, see the link in our bio. by @rva_ny

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16 days ago

The National Medal of Honor Museum has been selected for the Top 50: Americas Regional Showcase of Dezeen Awards 2026.

Chosen by Dezeen’s editors from more than 4,300 entries across 91 countries, the Top 50: Americas highlights outstanding projects across architecture, interiors, and design throughout the region.

Designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects, the 102,000-square-foot museum in Arlington, Texas, is defined by a singular architectural gesture: a monumental volume lifted above the ground, expressing the weight and strength of the values the museum represents.

Thank you to Dezeen for the feature!

@mohmuseum @dezeenawards_ @rva_ny by @rva_ny

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a month ago

Rafael Viñoly Architects’ design proposal for the transformation of the German House in New York City reimagines the existing tower as a more open, welcoming, and sustainable civic presence, balancing the complex demands of diplomacy, public engagement, and security.

A new civic threshold, flexible workplaces, and a renewed facade integrating landscape, daylight, natural ventilation, and photovoltaics transform the experience and performance of the building. Rising through the tower, integrated window planters connect the architecture to the adjacent United Nations Gardens, culminating in a 360-degree sky garden overlooking the East River and New York City.

Grounded in adaptive reuse, the proposal gives new life to the existing structure while establishing a renewed architectural identity – one that reflects openness, diplomacy, and environmental responsibility.

Thank you to the Federal Republic of Germany, Baden-Württemberg, and the jury for shortlisting our team and the opportunity to present our proposal.

Credits:
Rafael Viñoly Architects
KARO Architects
knippershelbig
Kohler Ronan
Transsolar
Cumming Group
Thornton Tomasetti
Steven Yavanian Landscape Architecture
Van Deusen Associates by @rva_ny

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2 months ago

How did Rafael Viñoly’s Latin American roots shape an architectural practice that became global in reach?

In a recent interview with Architectural Digest México y Latinoamérica, Rafael Viñoly Architects Partner Román Viñoly reflects on his father’s intellectual legacy and the enduring influence of Latin America on his approach to architecture – from structural clarity, material economy, and responsiveness to climate and landscape, to a deep conviction in architecture’s civic responsibility.

The conversation explores how these principles informed projects around the world and continue to guide the practice today, not as a stylistic language or formula, but as a way of approaching each project with ambition, intellectual rigor, and sensitivity to its particular place and purpose.

Visit link in bio to read the full article. by @rva_ny

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2 months ago

We are pleased to announce that the National Medal of Honor Museum was awarded a 2026 International Architecture Award by The Chicago Athenaeum.

The 102,000 square foot building hovers over the landscape in a monumental, metal-clad style that symbolizes the strength and sacrifice of those that it honors within its collections. The volume is supported by five monumental megacolumns, each alluding to a traditional branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, with a central oculus representing the U.S. Space Force, piercing the middle, introducing a dramatic source of natural light to the core of the composition.

The project is a testament to the emblematic impact of design, and we are honored to have received such a recognition. by @rva_ny

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2 months ago

Happy 110th Birthday to the Cleveland Museum of Art!

Since opening its doors in June 1916, the museum has become a cultural cornerstone of Northeast Ohio and a global destination for art, education, and civic life. Its longstanding commitment to free general admission demonstrates the power of accessible cultural institutions to inspire curiosity and connect communities.

Rafael Viñoly Architects is honored to have contributed to the museum’s evolution through the comprehensive renovation and expansion completed in 2014. The project unified disparate architectural vocabularies into a cohesive whole, creating a seamless visitor experience while preserving and celebrating the museum’s architectural legacy.

The design restored the original 1916 building to the center of the museum experience, conceiving it as a luminous “jewel” set within a continuous ring of expansion space that includes the renovated Marcel Breuer building and new gallery wings. At the heart of the transformation is the Ames Family Atrium: a light-filled, column-free public gathering space enclosed by a gently curving glass and steel canopy that connects galleries, frames views of the historic pavilion, and reinforces the museum’s role as a place for community, exchange, and discovery.

Congratulations to the entire Cleveland Museum of Art team on 110 remarkable years. We look forward to seeing how the museum continues to shape cultural life for generations to come. by @rva_ny

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4 months ago

Join us on June 30 for a live recording of Person Place Thing with host Randy Cohen and special guest Matías Tarnopolsky, Linda and Mitch Hart President & CEO of the New York Philharmonic.

One of the leading cultural executives of his generation, Tarnopolsky has spent his career expanding audiences, forging innovative partnerships, and strengthening the role of cultural institutions as civic anchors. Through stories about one person, one place, and one thing, he will share personal reflections on music, community, leadership, and the enduring power of the arts.

Hosted by Emmy Award–winning writer Randy Cohen, creator of Person Place Thing, the nationally acclaimed public radio show and podcast that reveals the human side of remarkable people, the evening will also feature live music by Duo Kayo, the chamber music partnership of violist Edwin Kaplan and cellist Titilayo Ayangade. Drawing on more than two decades of combined experience with leading ensembles, the duo brings fresh perspectives and expressive performances to the classical repertoire.

Presented by the Viñoly Foundation and hosted at Rafael Viñoly Architects in Lower Manhattan, this special evening offers a unique opportunity to experience one of New York’s leading cultural voices in an intimate setting, alongside live music and conversation.

Person Place Thing: Matías Tarnopolsky
Tuesday, June 30, 2026
6:30 PM

Rafael Viñoly Architects
375 Pearl Street, Floor 31
New York, NY 10038

Admission is free, but registration is required.

Head to Link in Bio for tickets. by @rva_ny

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4 months ago

What does it take for an architecture practice to endure beyond its founder?

In a recent feature by The Architect’s Newspaper, Rafael Viñoly Architects is highlighted as a case study in succession planning following the passing of Rafael Viñoly in 2023. The article explores the firm's transition from a founder-led practice to a collaborative partnership structure designed to ensure continuity of leadership, design excellence, and long-term client relationships.

As the article makes clear, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to succession planning. Today, Partners Jim Herr, Bassam Komati, Stephanie Tsang, and Román Viñoly lead the practice, building on more than four decades of experience while advancing the values that have guided the firm since its founding. By examining a range of firms and leadership models, the story highlights the many ways practices can prepare for leadership transitions in ways that reflect their unique culture, structure, and long-term goals. unique culture, structure, and long-term goals.

Thank you to The Architect’s Newspaper and writer Jerry Elengical for including our firm in this important conversation about leadership, continuity, and the future of architectural practice.

Head to Link in Bio to read the full story. by @rva_ny

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4 months ago

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the completion of the Tokyo International Forum, one of Rafael Viñoly Architects’ most celebrated works and a defining landmark in the heart of Tokyo, Japan.

To commemorate this milestone, former project team members, colleagues, and friends gathered in Tokyo for a special reunion. More than 80 attendees joined the celebration, including Rafael Viñoly Architects Partner Jim Herr, AIA, NCARB, who played an integral role in bringing this extraordinary project to life.

Completed in 1996, the Tokyo International Forum has spent three decades serving as one of Japan’s premier destinations for culture, performance, conventions, and international exchange. Its halls and public spaces have hosted everything from concerts, exhibitions, and global conferences to civic events and programming associated with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Three decades later, the Forum’s soaring glass-and-steel structure remains one of Tokyo’s most recognizable civic landmarks and enduring symbols of contemporary architecture. Its lasting architectural significance was recognized with the 2024 AIA Twenty-Five Year Award, honoring projects that continue to demonstrate exceptional design excellence and public impact long after their completion.

We were also delighted to meet the team who now steward the Forum and continue its legacy as a vibrant destination for future generations. by @rva_ny

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4 months ago

TONIGHT: Rafael Viñoly Architects’ Partner, Bassam Komati, AIA, OEAB, will speak at the panel discussion The Expanding Practice: Rethinking the Path of Architecture as part of this year’s NYCxDESIGN festival program.

Moderated by Ramona Albert, AIA, the discussion will bring together Bassam Komati, Jacob Reidel, AIA, and Andre Soluri, AIA, SARA, to examine the evolving nature of architectural practice and the increasingly interdisciplinary role of architects today.

As firms expand beyond traditional boundaries into research, strategy, development, branding, and product design, the conversation will explore how architectural education – with its foundation in critical thinking, systems-level problem solving, and design rigor – continues to prepare practitioners to operate across a broader and more integrated field of practice.

The Expanding Practice: Rethinking the Path of Architecture
Thursday, May 14
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Dacor Kitchen Theater
150 E 58th St, Suite 602
New York, NY 10155

Visit link in bio to RSVP. by @rva_ny

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5 months ago