Independent Project Residency


The Independent Project Residency, inaugurated in 2022, invites design practitioners to bring their own interests and projects to the Block House on Governors Island.

Fellows are among the first to stay overnight on the Island since the Coast Guard’s exit in 1996 and are immersed in the culture of various arts organizations occupying the Island’s historic structures. Fellows present the progress of their work to the public at Open [Block] House events and participate in Dinner Parties and other cohort activities. The Residency concludes with an exhibit and public presentation of the Fellows’ Work.

Open calls for 2025 Residencies will be announced in late fall here.



Past Residencies




2024 Summer Residency:
Independent Projects


The 2024 Summer Residency program represents the fifth edition of the Independent Project Residency at the Block House, and included five Fellows across a range of disciplines including architecture, communications design, sculpture, writing and industrial design.

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2024 Spring Residency:
Independent Projects


The first Springtime Residency gathered three Fellows for a period of eleven weeks at the Block House. Fellows represented a range of disciplines including architecture, landscape architecture and art.

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2023 Fall Residency:
Independent Projects


This nine-week Residency brought five Fellows to the Block House. Fellows represented a range of disciplines including art, architecture, urban design, environmental design, and socially engaged practice.

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Institute for Public Architecture

45 E 20th Street Suite 500
New York, NY 10003

9 Nolan Park
Governors Island, NY