Andrew Knox, FAIA
Partner

Andrew Knox joined ESKW/Architects in 1991 and became a Partner in 1999. For more than three decades, his work has centered on housing, shelters, and community facilities for nonprofit and public-sector clients serving under-resourced New Yorkers. Grounded in the belief that high-quality architecture should be accessible to all, he brings a practical, collaborative approach that balances social mission with the realities of funding, regulation, and construction. Through close, long-term collaboration with clients, agencies, and project teams, he translates value-driven ideas into durable, effective buildings.

Andrew approaches architecture as a service to people, grounded in careful listening as much as design expertise. This perspective has fostered long-standing relationships with organizations including Settlement Housing Fund, The Bridge, Bowery Residents’ Committee, Project Renewal, and the NYC Department of Homeless Services. His involvement from early feasibility and zoning studies through construction allows him to develop a deep understanding of each client’s operational needs, resulting in solutions that are dignified, responsive, and buildable.

He views architecture as a framework for everyday life, designed to adapt over time and respond to real use in a changing city. He has led design teams on projects such as Landing Road (BRC), a nationally recognized mixed-use model where shelter operations subsidize affordable housing; Cortelyou Road (MHANY Management), which replaced a derelict church with a new house of worship and supportive housing; and Bedford Green House, a two-building development that transformed a challenging site into a biophilic supportive housing community.

Recent work includes Coney Landing (SHF), the firm’s first Passive House geothermal project, and Barbara Kleiman Men’s Shelter (PR), its largest gut renovation and conversion to date. He is also overseeing feasibility studies for the Goddard Riverside Phelps House expansion, one of ESKW/Architects’ oldest legacy projects, and AAFE Rockaway, a long-term initiative advancing under updated zoning with a focus on resilience and community use.

Andrew places strong emphasis on mentorship and office culture, guiding staff in design, zoning, and project management with the goal of developing architects who combine technical rigor with a strong social mission. This approach has helped shape ESKW/Architects as a teaching firm committed to thoughtful, buildable architecture for disadvantaged communities.

Andrew Knox is a registered architect in New York and holds a Master of Architecture from Yale University. In 2020, he was elevated to Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA) for Service to Society. His work has been recognized by the American Institute of Architects, Urban Land Institute New York, Society of American Registered Architects, Boston Society of Architects, Supportive Housing Network of New York, and the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development. He served as Co-Chair of the AIA New York Housing Committee (2008–2014), advocating for zoning and code changes to support affordable housing, and has advised the Bloomberg Group on shelter projects nationally. Since 2022, he has worked with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), providing early-stage pre-development guidance for mission-driven and faith-based clients. He is currently a member of Bricks & Mortals.