Request for Proposals: 2027 Paul Gunther Prize For Inclusive Public Space
Brief
The Architectural League of New York invites independent proposals for the 2027 Paul Gunther Prize for Inclusive Public Space. The grant supports research, design or policy work on freely accessible indoor or outdoor spaces in New York City.
Competition data
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Organizer | The Architectural League of New York |
| Registration deadline | No separate registration deadline announced. |
| Submission deadline | 17 December 2026, 04:59 UTC; equivalent to 16 December 2026, 23:59 ET. |
| Entry fee | Not announced in the published RFP. |
| Total prize fund | USD 20,000: one project grant. |
| Eligibility | Individuals or independent teams of qualified designers/scholars; accredited professional or advanced degrees as specified in the RFP; at least five years’ professional or academic experience; authorization to receive monetary compensation in the United States. |
| Competition type | Research/design grant; no construction commission promised. |
Professional licensure is not required. The grant’s qualification, experience and U.S. payment-eligibility requirements still apply. Conflict-of-interest exclusions cover League staff, board members and specified connected applicants; consult the RFP’s exception for independent work by employees of board members’ firms.
Submission requirements
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Summary | 150 words. |
| Proposal | Maximum 1,500 words: objective, site, method, qualifications, team roles, one-year schedule and itemised budget. |
| Supporting work | Up to 20 pages; identify each applicant’s contribution. |
| Main file | One PDF combining the above; maximum 60 MB; pages no larger than 11 × 14 inches. |
| Additional files | Résumé: up to two pages per applicant. Two recommendation letters. Submit résumé and recommendations as two separate PDFs. |
| Delivery and language | Online awards platform linked from the official page. Submission language is not expressly specified in the RFP. |
Jury and assessment
| Jury | Published information |
|---|---|
| Anne Rieselbach | Chair |
| Keller Easterling; Mario Gooden; Joel Sanders; Vicki Weiner; Mabel O. Wilson | Jury members |
| Relevant expertise | The organiser describes Sanders’ work at JSA/MIXdesign as extending accessibility beyond code compliance; he teaches architecture and public health at Yale. |
Assessment emphasises design quality, social impact and capacity to deliver independent work. Numerical scoring weights are not published.
Funding and obligations
The Paul Gunther Fund backs an annual award planned over ten years. The selected project must culminate in a written report and an in-person presentation after one year. The RFP permits researcher honoraria, consultants and project expenses, but excludes tuition; thesis work is not prioritised. It does not specify tax treatment, refund terms or a detailed intellectual-property licence.
✦ ArchUp Competition Review
The productive design question is who can use a space in practice. A proposal can test that through thresholds, seating, wayfinding and patterns of occupation, rather than rely on a general statement of inclusion. A focused site and a method that makes exclusion observable would give the research a stronger architectural basis.
The committee reads this as support for a bounded investigation. Entrants should match the scope to the available grant and distinguish a testable design or policy outcome from the cost of delivering an entire public-space project. The published jury and application requirements help applicants assess the opportunity; a numerical score should not be inferred where none is given.
Reviewed on 12 October 2026 against the organiser’s call, RFP and information-session announcement.
Related competitions — Editorial team selection
For different approaches to public use and place, see the Eulsukdo land and ecological art call and Design Circle’s Art Gallery Competition.
Time remaining for submission
17 December 2026, 04:59 UTC.
Official brief and application
Access the RFP and submission portal through the organiser’s page.
