New York City–based design firm CO Adaptive’s work spans adaptive reuse and retrofits of residential, creative, and civic spaces with a focus on circularity—preserving and repurposing preexisting building materials in renovation projects. Founded in New York City in 2011 by Bobby Johnston and Ruth Mandl, the firm has progressively expanded its scope to include construction, deconstruction, and material salvage with the establishment of CO Adaptive Building and CO Adaptive Disassembly, reflecting their belief that “bridging disciplines is essential to effecting change,” in their own words. 

Cooperación Comunitaria works with rural Mexican communities to rebuild homes and communal facilities after natural disasters. Inviting community participation throughout the design process and integrating local ancestral knowledge with technical expertise, Cooperación Comunitaria’s practice is oriented toward “recognizing inhabitants as rights-holders and prioritizing self-management of territory, housing, livelihoods, and natural common goods,” in the firm’s own words. Founded in 2012 by Isadora Hastings García and Gerson Huerta García, the practice today includes Silvia Elis Martínez Hernández, José Jesús Álvarez Gutiérrez, and Lizet Zaldivar López.

The presentations will be followed by a conversation with Ana Miljački. Miljački is a historian, critic, curator, professor of architecture at MIT, and the founder of MIT’s Critical Broadcasting Lab. She was a member of the 2026 Emerging Voices jury.

Support

Emerging Voices is generously supported by Elise Jaffe + Jeffrey Brown. Support is also provided by the Next Generation Fund of The Architectural League, and by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Emerging Voices public events and features are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.