If I were to nominate another company that embodies the Art and Science of Building as extraordinarily as our Clayco family does, I would appoint Weiss/Manfredi without a doubt. Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi are a powerful pair both in life and at work and are the founders of the multidisciplinary New York City-based design practice. Their firm combines landscape, architecture, infrastructure, and art in a cohesive and appealing way that resonates with the people who enter their spaces.
The team at Weiss/Manfredi believes architecture should concern itself with the whole of the built environment, which is why it evolves projects into hubs for connection and new forms of public engagement. I admire the company’s ability to channel unpredictable aspects of our world and industry into innovative ventures. Weiss/Manfredi aims to define the physical and cultural identity of each project by opportunistically integrating multiple disciplines and alternative methods to create meaning in everything it does across the nation and world.
Weiss/Manfredi’s groundbreaking designs and transformative urban interventions embody invention, sustainability, and a deep understanding of the built environment's relationship with communities. As someone strongly committed to fostering positive impact wherever we operate, Weiss/Manfredi serves as a great model for prioritizing social integration, environmental management, and human experience. Just like Clayco, the team develops spaces that INSPIRE and ENRICH the lives of those who inhabit them.
Some of the organization’s most impressive structures include the Seattle Art Museum: Olympic Sculpture Park, Brooklyn Botanic Garden Visitor Center, U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India, Reimagining the Dallas Museum of Art International Design Competition, and so many more. Their holistic approach to design and dedication to fostering dialogue and collaboration sets a precedent for how architecture can be a catalyst for positive change. This sentiment aligns perfectly with Clayco’s vision to cultivate spaces that uplift communities for generations to come.
Developments by Weiss/Manfredi are often complex, featuring dynamic volumes, layered spaces, and intricate circulation patterns. They explore visionary materials and construction techniques that usually feature unique material applications with both aesthetic appeal and design functionality. One aspect of their work that I sincerely admire is their integration of sustainable strategies into their operations with passive design principles, energy-efficient systems, and green infrastructure to minimize environmental impact and enhance long-term resilience.
In 2024, Weiss/Manfredi has already earned several prestigious awards for their significant contributions to the industry and beyond. The company was named winner of the 37th Annual Louis I. Kahn Award by DesignPhiladelphia, an Honor Award for its MIT Kendall Square Site 5 project by AIA New York. It was also named a winner of the 10th Annual UrbanToronto Year-End Poll for its development at the University of Toronto Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus. These are incredible accomplishments, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the firm!
I hope that more institutions adopt missions and motives similar to Weiss/Manfredi, which aim to build our world into something more connected, healthy, and beautiful than we have ever seen.
