Public Space Activation

Explores how parks, plazas, streets, and public spaces can be designed or programmed to foster community, engagement, and inclusive urban life.

October 5, 2025

Housing Justice

Affordability, Evictions, and Displacement in New York City New York City faces a deepening housing crisis characterized by rising eviction filings, severe overcrowding, and escalating rent burdens. Despite being a city renowned for its density and diversity, access to affordable and secure housing remains elusive for a growing share of its population. This article examines Continue reading

Cities, Housing, Planning & Governance

Community Architecture, Housing Policy, Public Space Activation

About

Viren Brahmbhatt is an architect and urban designer based in New York City. He is the founder of de.Sign Studio and an adjunct professor at CCNY’s Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture. He has also taught at Columbia GSAPP, Washington University’s Sam Fox School, and Pratt Institute. Previously, he contributed to the NYC Housing Authority’s Design Department.

Design. Think. Connect.

publications

UPCOMING: Housing Futures: Notes for the New Administration, Viren Brahmbhatt, Richard Plunz
Right to the City: Why the demolition and privatization of NYCHA Fulton, Elliott, and Chelsea Houses in West Chelsea, Manhattan must be stopped, Viren Brahmbhatt, Op-Ed in Architects Newspaper, Sep 2025
Seven Points for Housing Action, Richard Plunz, Viren Brahmbhatt, Comment, National, Feb 2025
Bookending affordability: Notes on New York City Housing, Viren Brahmbhatt, Richard Plunz, A Chapter in the book Housing the Nation: Social Equity, Architecture, and the Future of Affordable Housing, Rizzoli, March 24
Messy Urbanism: Transformation and Transmutation of Cities under Globalization, Viren Brahmbhatt in Now Urbanism: The Future City is Here, Routledge, Jan 2015
Decolonizing Delhi, Viren Brahmbhatt in Reimagining Lutyens’ Delhi book, Ed. Viren Brahmbhatt, GSAPP Spring 2014 Studio, Columbia University, Jan 2015
InFormal City, Viren Brahmbhatt, Times of India, Jun 2010
India’s Messy Urbanism, Viren Brahmbhatt, Architects Newspaper, New York, Jun 2009
Developing Strategies: Hell’s Kitchen South. Research published. New York, The Design Trust for Public Space, Fellowship Team: Viren Brahmbhatt, Michael Conard, Richard Plunz, David Smiley, 2002
De-Masking the Mont Des Arts: Panorama Populaire, in Vacant City: Brussels’ Mont des Arts Reconsidered, Team: Viren Brahmbhatt, Richard Plunz, Rotterdam, Nai Publishers (NL), May 2001
Dwelling Unit Design in Response to Family Composition: An Analysis, NYCHA, 1999-2000
Evaluation of Defensible Space as Open Space Design Strategy in Public Housing, with Urban Design Research Group, GSAPP, Columbia University, 1999-2000
Investigations into Architectural Design: Conceptions and Processes, Viren Brahmbhatt, Published by CEPT University, India

Public Space Activation

Housing Justice