The building of a city is an ongoing, additive act of creativity. Urban centres are continually made and remade. They are palimpsests of the values, technologies, ingenuity, and aesthetics of a time that precedes ours and was vital in creating our present. To evolve, it is incumbent upon designers to find ways to preserve this past while shaping a rich and resilient ecosystem for the future.

This monograph explores the deep, inextricable relationship between the unique past and future potential of architecture that defines DXA’s practice. The book presents 14 projects that embrace history as a critical influence: they use New York City as a laboratory to implement this unique approach, acknowledging contexts and constraints as constructive rather than restrictive. The work seeks to foster a dialogue between generations, shaping good design that brings value and a sense of belonging. Integral to its time and place, such architecture offers a distinctive identity, clarity, and timelessness to the urban fabric.

The through line connecting the projects is DXA’s interest in the transformative power of architecture. When well-conceived and expertly crafted, buildings can be more than the sum of their materials. They activate the city in a meaningful way and can change entire neighbourhoods, serving as a catalyst for growth and vitality.

Whether designing carefully considered ground-up buildings or adapting older buildings for new life, building on history is a fundamental base for contemporary practice. This belief has set DXA apart as a practice with an extensive portfolio of completed work in New York, as well as informs the studio’s ongoing work in metropolitan areas throughout the United States.