The project was named Jury Winner in the “Vision for Cities” for cities category, illustrating the potential for research and speculative design to find solutions for multiple challenges facing New York and cities around the world.
Developed by KPF Urban and originally published in “Connective Urbanism—New York,” Urban Speculations asks a series of “What if?” questions about the future of New York. Responding to challenges including housing shortages, congestion, climate change, and decarbonization, the research uses data-driven scenarios to consider how interconnected urban systems could evolve at the scale of the city.
Grounded in reality, “Urban Speculations” proposes interconnected scenarios that provide the starting point for ambitious dialogues. Across four scenarios—Social City, Intense City, Logistics City, and Decarbonized City—the study explores ideas ranging from transforming traditional central business districts into mixed-use social districts, to concentrating development around transit, rethinking how goods move through the city, and transitioning New York toward a renewable energy future.
Each scenario uses architectural research and representation as a means of testing possibilities and provoking discussion about the future of cities. The recognition reflects KPF’s wider commitment to looking beyond individual buildings to consider the systems, infrastructure, and ideas that shape urban life.
The award is one of two 2026 Architizer Vision Awards received by KPF, alongside recognition for “A Fix for 42nd Street,” the firm’s proposal to rethink one of New York’s most important urban corridors.
The Architizer Vision Awards honor architecture’s most visionary creators, recognizing work that is shaping the future of the profession through design, research, and visual storytelling. Announced at RELEASE [AEC] in Paris, the wins see KPF included in the Visionary 100, Architizer’s global index of creators pushing the boundaries of architectural communication. Together, the accolades recognize KPF’s commitment to advancing architectural thinking beyond the delivery of buildings—using research, experimentation, and representation to explore new ideas for the future of architecture and cities.
