Amid a news cycle sopped by headlines of financial cuts to the programs that matter most and calls for the demolition of long-standing government facilities, cities and towns across the country reeled in the wake of natural disasters and educational institutions pushed for a voice and change. Through strong reporting and photography, this year AN gave readers a look at aftermath of the wildfires that wiped out parts of Altadena, California; and the flooding that brought Kerrville, Texas to its knees. On a lighter note we gave readers a glimpse into New York’s niche community of model makers and the world of architectural competitions. We also celebrated 100 years of art deco and 250 of the United States Postal Service.
As the year comes to a close AN has looked back on the news stories and controversies that shaped the last 12 months, here are the long-form pieces AN covered this year that are memorable for their striking imagery, impactful messages, and hopeful drive for what’s to come.
Wildfires ravaged Southern California
After Southern California caught ablaze in ravenous wildfires, Tag Christof went into the field with his camera and captured Altadena, one of the Los Angeles communities hit hardest. AN contributor Shane Reiner-Roth wrote about his experience. His poignant words were paired with harrowing images by Christof in a tender meditation about California’s future.
“We packed the car with little forethought while monitoring the situation on Watch Duty, a real-time map of wildfire and firefighting information,” Reiner-Roth said. “Still in need of visual proof before abandoning our home, however, we took to the rooftop with our neighbors, exchanging names in between intimate exchanges of hopes and fears. Finally, on the other side of a hill in the near distance, we saw the flames stretching out and upward with our own eyes, unmediated by any news program or phone app. We drank wine straight from the bottle.”
Unpacking the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center plans by Schmidt Hammer Lassen and DLR
Steve Brooks, an incarcerated journalist at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, and the former editor in chief of San Quentin News, criticized an ongoing renovation plan for San Quentin.
Brooks and AN news editor Daniel Jonas Roche co-wrote an article together about plans for the complex by Schmidt Hammer Lassen and DLR Group. Is the “Nordic model,” sometimes used interchangeably with the “California model,” transferable in a state where prison labor is a multi-billion dollar industry? When, if ever, is it ethical to design carceral spaces?
Journal of Architectural Education’s “Palestine” issue
In February, the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA) canceled the Fall 2025 issue of the Journal of Architectural Education (JAE) themed on Palestine and fired its interim executive editor. This resulted in the resignation of all 20 members of the JAE editorial board on March 10, shortly before the annual ACSA meeting. AN contributor Zach Mortice reported on what led to the controversial cancellation.
Kerrville, Texas, residents discussed rebuilding after flooding
In the early hours of July 4, when the riverbanks were crowded with vacationers and campers, a stalled tropical storm system dumped months’ worth of rain on Central Texas in a few short hours. The Guadalupe River’s levels rose 26 feet within 45 minutes near Kerrville.
In the months after, architect Jessie Temple and photographer Leonid Furmansky set foot in Kerrville. They shared what they saw in a thoughtful photographic journalism piece for AN.
United States Postal Service at 250
The United States Postal Service (USPS) reached a major milestone this year when it turned 250-years-old on July 26, 2025. Through buildings, stamps, and murals, we can observe an institution shape shift according to the aesthetic and political proclivities of the times. AN web editor Kristine Klein spoke to historians at the USPS to learn about the service’s architectural and graphic evolution that got its start before the country won its independence.
Three generations of architects at Robert P. Madison International
Kelly Beamon interviewed firm leadership at Robert P. Madison International (RPMI) about its past, present, and future. Cleveland-based RPMI turned 70-years-old this year. Founded by Robert P. Madison, the firm is now managed by Sandra Madison, Robert’s niece by marriage, the firm’s CEO, chairperson, and a majority owner; along with co-owners R. Kevin Madison, the firm’s president (Sandra’s husband and Robert’s nephew), and Robert Klann.
RPMI is today Ohio’s largest Black-female-owned architecture firm, and RPMI’s women-led team includes Robert’s daughter Jeanne Madison, the firm’s business manager, and Sandra and Kevin’s daughter Maya Madison, a project manager. After 70 years in practice it has no plans of slowing down.
A detailed look at New York’s independent and in-house model makers
Model makers don’t get enough credit. Architecture firms call upon them to cast digital designs and paper plans into material objects. AN contributor Diana Budds gave us a big window into the small world of New York’s model makers this year in reporting that featured interviews with Ed Wood, Radii’s director and founding partner, and others.
How consultants are shaping museums competitions
Museum and flagship cultural institution commissions are big fishes for any architecture firm. Offices spend hours on renderings and designs for projects they may never be commissioned for. Who are the big wigs behind organizing the competitions selecting those who do land the land?
Budds delved into the new field of consultants that emerged in the past 30 years, ranging from cultural strategists to competition organizers hired to make the process more fair and effective for all parties involved.
Kyle Miller diagrammed three decades of architectural Projects
A diagram published in AN‘s September issue drew many eyes and opinions, especially on social media. The polemical chart in question, penned by Syracuse University professor Kyle Miller, tries to make sense of critical architectural practice and architectural education at academic institutions over the past three decades.
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