Cornell AAP’s New York City-based programs are immersive, cross-disciplinary, and connective. Dynamic by design, the AAP NYC student experience is defined by the city’s myriad urban contexts and guided by world-class faculty and facilities.
Complementing AAP’s Ithaca-based core courses and curricula, the Gensler Family AAP NYC Center’s (AAP NYC) new home on Roosevelt Island marks a watershed moment for the college and creates a platform for students and faculty to engage with the city’s buildings, spaces, and communities firsthand, address urban challenges, and rethink possibilities in situ.
The center is housed within the recently redesigned fourth floor of the Tata Innovation Center on the Cornell Tech campus, a hub for interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration. Steeped in the creative culture and rich history of New York City, Study Away at AAP NYC provides students with access to leading practitioners, civic and cultural institutions, and communities that advance current contemporary design and planning practices. Course offerings span the college’s disciplines and are augmented with field trips, tours, and site visits, as well as studio visits and networking events with industry leaders. Beyond coursework, students draw from the city’s unique artistic, historic, and cultural resources, and make lasting connections with AAP’s vast community of New York City-based alumni to enrich their Cornell AAP education.
Participating Degree Programs
Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.)
optional in fourth and fifth year, fall or spring semester
Master of Architecture (M.Arch.)
required in fifth semester (fall), optional spring semester
Post-professional Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design (M.S. AAD)
required for first of three semesters (summer)
Post-professional Master of Science in Advanced Urban Design (M.S. AUD)
all three semesters take place at AAP NYC, beginning in fall
Bachelor of Science in Urban and Regional Studies (B.S. URS)
optional (fall only, by application)
Master of Regional Planning (M.R.P)
optional in second year, third semester (fall semester only)
Dual Degree: Master of Regional Planning and Landscape Architecture (M.R.P. / M.L.A.)
optional in second or third year (fall semester only)
Master of Science in Design Technology (M.S. DT)
available in second year (fall and spring semesters)
Master of Professional Studies in Real Estate (M.P.S. RE)
available in second year (fall and spring semesters), debuting fall 2026
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City Visionaries: Summer Program for High School Students
A transformative, cross-disciplinary introduction to foundational principles of city design at the scale of New York City.
Inside the AAP NYC Center
Gensler Family Endows, Names Cornell AAP NYC Program
In January 2021, AAP received a $10 million endowment from M. Arthur Gensler (B.Arch. ’57) and his family to support the future of the college’s thriving New York City-based program, AAP NYC.
The Gensler family’s generosity and support sees that this cornerstone program cofounded by Art Gensler will continue to strengthen AAP’s commitment to engagement with the urban built environment that enables the next generation to make a deep and lasting impact on cities and communities.
Leadership Team
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![A man with brown hair and glasses wearing a suit.]()
Executive Director
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![portrait of cathy lang ho]()
Deputy Director
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![portrait of Jesse LeCavalier]()
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![Man in a dark jacket standing against a grey brick wall]()
Upcoming and Ongoing Events
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Feb 3–Apr 7
ar·ti·fi·ci·al·i·ty Lecture Series
The ar·ti·fi·ci·al·i·ty lecture series at the Gensler Family AAP NYC Center, curated by Architecture faculty Jesse LeCavalier and Florian Idenburg, explores how our definitions of the artificial and natural shape the construction, craft, and ethics of the built environment.
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Feb 25–Apr 9
Island Editions Conversation Series at the Gensler Family AAP NYC Center Spring 2026
Attend the sixth installation of Island Editions, a series of conversations held at the Gensler Family AAP NYC Center on Roosevelt Island, on April 9 at 7 p.m. Registration is required.
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![The exterior of the David Zwirner gallery features a multi-story, board-formed concrete facade with rhythmic wooden-framed windows and a person walking along the sidewalk below.]()
Apr 23
2026 L. Michael Goldsmith Lecture featuring Annabelle Selldorf
The L. Michael Goldsmith Lecture, established in 2009 to honor the legacy of Cornell alumnus Michael Goldsmith (B.Arch. ’72), features Annabelle Selldorf with an introduction by Dean J. Meejin Yoon.
Latest News and Research
Latest News and Research
In the Media 2026 Summer Architecture Programs for Kids and High School Students
Archinect — This roundup of summer architecture programs offers a guide to courses, workshops, and camps for all ages across the US and Canada.
Stories New Faculty Jose Sanchez Wants You to Play With Architecture — Literally
New Associate Professor of Design Tech at the Cornell College of Architecture, Art, and Planning and Cornell Tech Jose Sanchez brings a groundbreaking approach to architecture that centers on gameplay, cooperation, and the stewardship of shared resources: what he calls “the Commons.”
Stories What’s Ahead: Spring 2026 Highlights
After a winter break to regroup and recharge, faculty, students, and staff return to campus and to the open questions, conversations, and explorations that will drive the work of the semester ahead.
Stories
Cornell AAP to Launch First New York City-based High School Summer Program
Cornell AAP recently announced an opportunity for rising high school juniors and seniors to join City Visionaries, the newest addition to the Gensler Family AAP NYC Center’s (AAP NYC) immersive slate of New York City-based programs.
Stories From Milstein Scholar to Design Tech Pioneer
Julia Beitel (M.S. DT ’26) brings an interdisciplinary approach to design and technology at Cornell Tech, developing inventive projects that integrate ethical innovation, digital and physical systems, and hands-on making through fabrication, teaching, and community-based work.
Stories Gensler Family AAP NYC Center Opens Doors, Possibilities on Cornell Tech Campus
After a decade at 26 Broadway in Lower Manhattan, the center’s move to Roosevelt Island affords new opportunities for connection and collaboration.