News  2026

For 2026, Docomomo US turns its thematic focus toward the rituals and spaces of Recreation and Play, expanding its attention beyond formal architectural typologies to the built environments where people gather for leisure, activity, and joy. The theme will highlight a wide array of sites recognizing both their design significance and their role in community life. A call for articles for a special edition of the Docomomo US Newsletter focused on the theme has just been announced, with proposals due April 17.

The former campus of Wells College in Aurora, NY, may soon become the region’s first Indigenous-led university, as the Hiawatha Institute for Indigenous Knowledge advances plans to open on the site next year. Having reported last winter on the potential demolition threats to the campus and its significant modernist buildings, including works by Walter Netsch, DOCOMOMO US/NY Tri-State considers the news a hopeful turn—highlighting the promise of preservation and reuse over loss.