Hoffmann Architects + Engineers, a design firm specializing in the rehabilitation of building exteriors, has named the 2024 recipient of its Hoffmann Diversity Advancement Scholarship. Now in its second year, the Hoffmann Scholarship was established in collaboration with the Connecticut Architecture Foundation (CAF) to support students from underrepresented racial or ethnic groups who are seeking degrees in architecture or engineering.
Alyssa Duran, a fourth-year student pursuing a Bachelor of Architecture degree at the New York City College of Technology, was selected as the recipient of the 2024 Hoffmann Diversity Advancement Scholarship. She was selected from a competitive applicant pool of high-achieving students, many the first in their families to attend college, who were inspired to enter the design professions to pursue environmental justice, protect heritage sites and improve the daily lives of their communities.
“We were captivated by the talent and drive of this year’s applicant pool as they overcame challenges to pursue careers in architecture and design,” said Alison Hoffmann, chair of the Hoffmann Diversity and Inclusion Committee. “They describe experiences with housing insecurity, with surviving natural disasters and conflict in their country of origin, with the responsibilities of caring for siblings and holding down jobs while managing schoolwork. Yet their narratives overwhelmingly focus on a passion for architecture and for the ways it can shape a community. Many of the applicants cited preserving culturally important structures and uplifting neighborhoods through design as motivations for pursuing their studies. Our committee was inspired and humbled by these ambitious young people.”
Duran grew up in the Dominican Republic, where she observed firsthand the challenges of preserving the island’s historic architecture. The tropical climate accelerated deterioration and led her to consider how to address the increasing threats to the built environment due to climate change. When she came to New York, she was drawn to historic restoration.
“I became inspired by the innovative methods employed to rehabilitate, give new life, and restore existing structures,” Duran said. “I believe historic restoration represents the future of architecture, showcasing that sustainable design can be achieved in this industry in so many ways without having to start from scratch.”
With a focus on the rehabilitation of building exteriors, the specialized practice of Hoffmann Architects + Engineers aligns with Duran’s goals to reduce climate impact through the restoration and reuse of existing buildings. Hoffmann’s scholarship committee was impressed not only with her impeccable academic record and perfect 4.0 GPA, but also with her sense of place. Deeply connected with the spaces where she lives and works, Duran interned with the New York City Department of Design and Construction, contributed to research with NYCCT architecture faculty and currently serves as a digital fabrication specialist for the architecture department. Bilingual in English and Spanish, she brings a forward-thinking design sensibility to the practice of restoration, which Hoffmann champions as a key priority of this scholarship program.
To fund the scholarship, Hoffmann Architects + Engineers contributed $25,000 in its inaugural year and an additional $10,000 in the second year. John J. Hoffmann, FAIA, executive chairman of the firm, personally contributed several thousand dollars more and employees joined him in making personal donations. CAF also collected contributions from individual donors.
The Hoffmann Diversity Advancement Scholarship is open to applicants who are students entering or enrolled full-time in an NAAB-accredited architecture program or ABET-accredited civil or structural engineering program, and residents / full-time college or university students located in southern New England (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island) or the eastern Mid-Atlantic (New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Maryland), regions that form the core of Hoffmann’s practice. Eligible applicants represent a minority racial or ethnic group, as defined by the state of New York.
Founded in 1977, Hoffmann Architects + Engineers specializes in the rehabilitation of building enclosures. The firm’s work focuses on the exteriors of existing structures, diagnosing and resolving deterioration within facades, roofing systems, windows, waterproofing materials, plazas/terraces, parking garages and historic and landmark structures. It also provides consulting services for new construction, as well as litigation and claim support. The Connecticut Architecture Foundation Inc. was established by the Connecticut Chapter of The American Institute of Architects in 1978. The organization’s mission is to raise the public awareness of, and expectations for architecture and the built environment. CAF accomplishes these goals through the funding of programs in education, scholarship, mentorship and research.
