About the Project

Awnings for New York is a public resource dedicated to the reintroduction of traditional window awnings as a practical strategy for passive cooling, energy efficiency, carbon emission reduction, and historic building stewardship in New York City. The website brings together technical guidance, case studies, and new energy research to support architects, preservationists, building owners, policymakers, and anyone interested in climate-responsive design.

The project grew from graduate thesis research completed at Columbia University GSAPP in 2025. Recognizing the benefit of a broader audience, Awnings for New York was created to translate academic work into an accessible, open-access toolkit for real-world application.

Acknowledgements

Awnings for New York was made possible through the support and encouragement of many individuals and organizations.

Project Support

  • The Onera Foundation

  • Columbia University GSAPP, Historic Preservation Program

Special Thanks

  • Thesis Advisor: Prof. Tim Michiels

  • Thesis Readers: Prof. Erica Avrami, Prof. Françoise Bollack, and Dr. Victor Charpentier

  • Historic Preservation Program Director: Prof. Jorge Otero-Pailos

  • Thesis Instructors: Prof. Sarah Sher and Prof. Paul Bentel

  • John Gant, Director of Sustainability, Glen Raven

  • Ralph Vasami, Esq., Attachment Energy Ratings Council

  • Mahabir Bhandari, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

  • Aimée Daniels, Shaded UK

  • Sarah Khan, Rogers Mears Architects

  • Jim Lindberg, Senior Policy Director, The National Trust for Historic Preservation

About the Researcher

Anne Maxwell Foster is is the co-founder of the interior design practice Tilton Fenwick, where she leads residential projects across the country. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art History from Boston College and a Master of Science in Historic Preservation from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. She is a former Fellow with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Columbia University’s Adapting the Existing Built Environment Earth Network.

Get Involved

Awnings for New York is intended to be an evolving resource. If you have additional research, information on awnings, feedback, questions, or are interested in collaborating, please get in touch.

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