Andrea Steele - ASA  

In a conversation with Design:ED, Andrea Steele of Andrea Steele Architecture (ASA) shared her perspective on the evolving role of architecture, emphasizing the importance of creating inclusive, community-centered spaces over simply designing buildings. She highlighted ASA's approach of questioning whether building is always the right solution and illustrated this with a modular kit-of-parts project for New York Restoration Project that empowered communities to build their own pavilions. Steele also discussed the L10 Arts and Cultural Center in Brooklyn as an example of cross-programming and shared civic space, underscoring the value of collaboration between diverse cultural organizations. Throughout, she stressed architecture’s role in fostering human connection, prioritizing flexibility, accessibility, and long-term relevance over image-driven design.

Photo courtesy of Andrea Steele Architecture

The 65,000-square-foot L10 Arts and Cultural Center (previously known as Downtown Brooklyn Cultural District project) will become the new home to several cultural institutions including Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), Brooklyn Public Library, the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA), and 651 ARTS.