Dattner Architects’ commitment to civic-based, socially conscious essential architecture is spotlighted in the Winter 2026 issue of Oculus.
In his op-ed, “An Architecture of Advocacy; An Architect As Advocate,” Associate Principal Keith Engel, urges architects to pair design with advocacy by engaging community processes, public policy, and land use decision-making to help address New York City’s housing instability.
Keith draws on a career focused on affordable housing, supportive housing, and emergency shelter work, and reflects on his civic service, including his leadership with Queens Community Board 6’s Land Use and Housing Committee, as part of a broader call for architects to take an active role in shaping more equitable housing outcomes.
“Architecture is a non-neutral, public act rooted in the common good.”