Vishaan Chakrabarti to Lead Conversation on the Future of Adaptive Reuse

Acclaimed architect discusses how reimagining buildings drives sustainability, community, and urban transformation at upcoming IIDA NY event.

The International Interior Design Association’s New York Chapter (IIDA NY) will welcome acclaimed architect and urban thinker Vishaan Chakrabarti, FAIA, for its upcoming Pioneering Design® event, “Preserving the Past, Designing the Future: Adaptive Reuse in NYC.” The event will take place on Thursday, May 21st, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the Mohawk Group Showroom (125 W 25th Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10001) in Manhattan.

Chakrabarti has spent more than three decades shaping some of the country’s most ambitious civic and cultural projects. He is the founder and creative director of Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU), an internationally recognized architecture and urban design firm that focuses on creating more equitable, sustainable, and connected cities. His work reflects a deep commitment to reimagining existing infrastructure to better serve contemporary urban life.

Before founding PAU, Chakrabarti served as Director of the Manhattan Office of the New York Department of City Planning under Mayor Michael Bloomberg and President of Moynihan Station Venture at The Related Companies, among other roles. A respected voice beyond practice, he has held academic leadership roles at both UC Berkeley and Columbia University, and has authored books on designing more equitable, connected, and resilient cities.

Adaptive reuse will be explored as both a practical strategy and a broader design philosophy, which balances preservation with innovation, and sustainability with performance. In New York City, where aging buildings face ever-evolving modern necessities, adaptive reuse has become an essential tool for designers navigating limited space, climate goals, and community identity.

“Adaptive reuse asks us to see opportunity where others see constraint,” says Chakrabarti. “By working with what already exists, we can reduce environmental impact while creating places that feel authentic, connected, and forward-looking.”

In navigating the audience through a real-life, highly esteemed project from his portfolio, Chakrabarti will explore how designers can transform under-utilized structures into dynamic spaces that support housing, culture, and economic development—while preserving the character that defines New York City. At Brooklyn’s Domino Sugar Factory, for example, his firm transformed the 19th-century industrial landmark into a 460,000-square-foot mixed-use workplace, being reborn as The Refinery at Domino. By inserting a modern glass structure within its historic brick shell, they were able to preserve the building’s original façade while introducing light-filled, flexible interiors. The project anchors a larger waterfront revitalization that reconnects the community to public space and demonstrates how adaptive reuse can extend the life of iconic buildings while also meeting contemporary needs.

IIDA NY’s Pioneering Design® Series continues to spotlight influential voices shaping the future of the built environment, offering a platform for meaningful dialogue across the architecture and design community. Tickets, which cost $200, can be purchased here. The event will offer (1) IDCEC CEU credit.

About IIDA NY

The IIDA New York Chapter (IIDA NY)—an inclusive community of creative and diverse professionals, industry partners and students—celebrates design, encourages collaboration, shares knowledge and advocates for the interior design community. This professional networking and educational association provides invaluable resources to more than 700 members in 10 specialty forums with the goal of enhancing their expertise, knowledge and contacts. IIDA NY is proudly committed to design advocacy, sustainability, civic engagement, student mentorship and development, as well as diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. For more information, visit: http://www.iidany.org/.