Disclaimer: Listing reflect client inquiries verbatim for accuracy and clarity. This residency does not offer a stipend and has associated fees.
Introduction
The Institute for Public Architecture (IPA) welcomes applications for the 2025 Spring Independent Project Residency based at the historic Block House on Governors Island.
The IPA Independent Project Residency program invites emerging and mid-career practitioners – whose work focuses on the public realm – to live and work during an eleven week live-in Residency at the IPA Block House on Governors Island. The Residency seeks to create new interdisciplinary opportunities for collective thinking by providing communal space for architects, urbanists, landscape architects, designers, climate researchers, and artists to live, work, and develop independent projects within the community of the residency. Applicants will bring their own interests to the program and will have opportunities to engage with the public over the course of the Residency and will culminate in an exhibition of work at the Block House.
IPA Fellows are among the first civilian residents to live on the Island since the Coast Guard’s exit in 1996. Fellows will enjoy unparalleled historic, natural, and urban resources with direct access to downtown Manhattan and waterfront Brooklyn neighborhoods via ferry. The IPA, a long-term tenant on Governors Island together with Billion Oyster Project, the Harbor School, Earth Matter, Beam Center and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, is one of more than twenty arts, cultural, educational, and environmental nonprofit organizations operating on the Island, forming a unique community that connects with a diverse and growing audience of nearly one million annual visitors.
Who Should Apply
The Residency program is open to local and global applicants from diverse backgrounds, educations, experiences, and aspirations at any stage of their career. Applicants may be practitioners working across disciplines, with an emphasis on the public realm. The program is especially well-suited for those on sabbatical or with funded projects. The program is not open to current students.
The Spring Independent Project Residency program is intended for applicants with a clearly developed focus and/or approach who need time and space to work independently within the context of a unique and supportive communal environment. During the Spring season, programming and visitor traffic on Governors Island is reduced, resulting in a more calm and sequestered experience at the Block House, compared to our Summer and Fall Residency programs.
Spring Fellows will take advantage of this slower pace with a degree of solitude and productive separation from the fast pace of the surrounding city. The IPA Block House provides comfortable living accomodations alongside ample space to conduct research within the communal Studio and Library. Fellows are encouraged to skill-share and engage with their cohort through both planned and spontaneous activities throughout the Residency.
Although collaborators may apply, each applicant must complete an individual application and will be evaluated separately, with no guarantee that both collaborators will be selected.
Program Goals
This program is designed for applicants with research and design projects at any stage of development who would benefit from sharing their work in the collective, interdisciplinary context of the Residency. To that end, time will be set aside throughout the Residency for Fellows to present and discuss their work with the cohort, IPA staff, guests, and the public.
During the Residency, Fellows’ work can be presented in any format: academic papers, articles, and/or book chapters, film, sound, installations, drawings, models, and other media. The program will culminate in an exhibition at the Block House, and Fellows’ work will be published on the IPA’s digital channels and website.
Program Structure
The Independent Project Residency offers applicants the opportunity to bring their own interests and projects to New York City, with its vast network of expertise and leadership in the fields of architecture, urbanism, and design. Fellows will present the progress of their work to the public at Open [Block] House events throughout the Residency on Governors Island. Each Fellow will also receive project support through the IPA’s network of subject matter experts and resources.
Programming includes:
- Open [Block] House: a series of public events at the Block House that welcome visitors and invited guests to engage in conversation and review project progress with Fellows.
- Weekend Open Library: visitors are welcomed into the IPA library and gallery on weekends. Fellows are invited to interact with visitors and voluntarily display their progress.
- Dinner Parties: a series of curated meals are held throughout the program that will welcome professionals, esteemed guests, members of other Island-based organizations, and former Fellows to a casual evening dinner with Fellows.
- Exhibition: Fellows are invited to participate in a culminating exhibition event with invited guests and the public.
Selection
An Independent Selection Committee composed of experts within the fields of architecture and design will review applications. The Selection Committee will be announced shortly. Applicants should make clear how they and their proposed project will benefit from being based at the Block House on Governors Island and its larger connections to New York City; preference will be given to project proposals that do so. Selection of Fellows will also be based on the applicant’s experience, intent, and relevance of their project to the IPA’s mission of addressing social, physical and environmental inequities in the city.
Fellow Responsibilities
Fellows will be expected to:
- Live and work collectively with other Fellows, regularly engaging in communal cohort activities.
- Purchase their own groceries and any other personal items throughout the Residency (with the exception of occasional catered events).
- Keep private and communal areas tidy.
- Participate in public presentations of work.
- Host two Open Library afternoons at the Block House, engaging with visitors to the IPA.
- Submit work completed during the Residency to the IPA before the conclusion of the program.
Practical Info
Duration: Applications are now open and can be submitted here.
The 2025 Spring Independent Project Residency runs for 11 weeks, March 1–May 17, 2025.
How to Apply: Applicants should submit the following documentation through the online form. Links to outside websites or files are not accepted and will not be considered in the review process.
- Statement of interest: Describe (1) how you would use your time at the Residency, (2) the relevance of the Block House and New York City to your proposed project, and (3) how living/working on Governors Island may benefit your work. (maximum 500 words)
- Research/Design proposal: Summary of the research or design work to be developed during the Residency program. Work can be ongoing or a new endeavor. (maximum 500 words)
- References: Two references with full name and current email addresses. Recommendation letters are not required.
- Curriculum vitae. (PDF format, maximum 5MB)
- Work samples: Relevant research or work samples and/or portfolio. (PDF format, maximum 10MB)
Residency Fee: The 2025 Spring Residency Fee consists of two parts; the Program Fee and the Room Fee. The Program Fee is a fixed amount of $3,250 for the 11-week period, whereas the Room Fee ranges from $2,000–$3,500. All Fellows are required to pay both fees to attend the Residency, although the Room Fee varies depending on the room the Fellow selects. In total, the cost of attending the 2025 Spring Residency will range from $5,250 to $6,750.
Once applicants are invited to join the program, a non-refundable deposit of $1,000 is required to secure a spot in the Residency. The remaining balance is due in advance of the beginning of the program: the program fee is due in full on February 1, and the Room Fee is due on March 1. Room selection occurs at the time of the payment of deposit first-come, first-serve. The $1,000 deposit is applied towards the Room Fee.
Fellows are encouraged to seek partial or full financial support from their institutions or other funding sources to offset the Program and Room Fees. The IPA has assembled a preliminary list of funding sources for applicants here.
Program Fee Breakdown:
The Program Fee covers:
- Registration and administrative overhead
- Cohort activities, including a curated Dinner Party series, public events, and a final exhibition at the Block House
- Occasional communal meals and get togethers
- In-house program and facilities staff
The Room Fee covers:
- A private bedroom with individual climate control, supplied with a full (double) bed, pillows, sheets, towel and closet
- A personal desk and chair in the communal studio area with a lockable cabinet
- Shared bathrooms and in-house laundry with washer and dryer
- A fully-equipped shared kitchen and dining room with a standard oven, fridge, microwave, blender, and tableware
- Common workspaces and living areas
- Outdoor areas adjacent to the house with tables, chairs and open space
- High-speed internet within the Block House
- 24-hour Island security
- The first lunch, dinner and breakfast upon arrival to the Block House
- Unlimited ferry rides between Governors Island and Manhattan (ferries from Brooklyn are not included)
Program Fee Waivers: We understand that the cost of the Residency might be a barrier to entry for some applicants. The IPA offers a very limited number of need-based partial Program Fee Waivers (PFW). The aim of the PFW is to address systemic barriers that some applicants may face. Applicants may apply for a PFW for any reason. Any information submitted will remain confidential for the use of the IPA in determining an applicant’s need for financial support. Successful applicants will be informed if they have been awarded a partial PFW when they are notified of their acceptance to the Residency.
PFWs are evaluated separately from the rest of the application and submitting a request will not negatively affect an application. Please note we are currently unable to waive the Room Fee due to high facility costs.
If you are interested in applying for a PFW, please include a 500–750 word letter that describes your need and outlines how a PFW would support your project throughout the Residency. Requests must be submitted through the application and will not be considered after the general Open Call deadline.
Funding Resources: Please visit the IPA Guide to Funding Opportunities here. The this collection of listings includes a combination of grants, awards and scholarships, as well as other funding guides This guide is a starting point for IPA Fellows and is not meant to be an exhaustive list. Fellows are encouraged to conduct their own research for additional opportunities.
Program Conclusion: At the end of the Residency, Fellows’ work will be submitted to the IPA for publication on digital channels and the website. During the Residency, Fellows should expect to receive feedback from invited guests. The final exhibition will be documented and shared publicly. As an independent program, no official qualifications or diplomas are awarded.
Vehicle Access: Governors Island is a predominantly car-free space, with very limited vehicle access. Fellows will not be able to bring or use a vehicle on the Island during the Residency period. There are no stores on Governors Island; all groceries and other items must be purchased on the mainland and brought to the Island. Hand carts are available for Fellow use.
Notes: Upon request, the IPA can supply successful applicants with documentation of their invitation to participate in the Residency that may be used to apply for a Visa, grants or other related matters. The IPA is unable to directly assist with or provide Visas to international applicants. Please consult the Department of State’s website for more information on Visa requirements.
Materials submitted for and resulting from the Residency may be retained for use by the IPA for exhibition, publication, and promotional purposes, without compensation. The Fellow will retain full copyright of all materials resulting from the Residency unless otherwise stated. The IPA will not be held liable for any damages, errors or omissions.
By participating in the program, Fellows agree to be photographed and/or filmed and give permission to use their likeness in promotional and/or marketing materials.
At this time, the Block House is unable to accommodate Fellows’ families, domestic partners, or pets.
Inquiries: info@the-ipa.org
More info: https://instituteforpublicarchitecture.org/open-call