Presenting the 33rd SEASIDE Prize™ Celebration
SEASIDE Institute™ Honors Janette Sadik-Khan as the 2027 Seaside Prize Recipient
The SEASIDE Institute™ is thrilled to announce the recipient of the prestigious 2027 SEASIDE Prize™. The prize, which is awarded annually, celebrates individuals who have made significant contributions to the fields of architecture, urban planning, and community development.
On this prestigious occasion of the Seaside Prize, the Seaside Institute is honored to bestow this recognition upon: Janette Sadik-Khan. The celebration will take place the weekend of February 5 through February 7, 2027, with a variety of events and symposia focused on multi-modal transportation, street art, and urban transformation. The weekend is curated by Seaside Institute Executive Director, Christy Milliken and supported by our Board of Fellows, Board of Governors, Sponsor Partners, and Community Partners. Signature experiences will take place in Seaside, Florida with additional tours in Seaside’s neighboring New Urbanism communities Rosemary Beach, and Alys Beach.
Janette Sadik-Khan is one of the world’s foremost authorities on transportation and urban transformation. She served as New York City’s transportation commissioner from 2007 to 2013 under Mayor Michael Bloomberg, overseeing historic changes to the city’s streets – pedestrianizing Broadway in Times Square, building nearly 400 miles of bike lanes, launching Citi Bike, the world’s largest bike share system outside of Asia, and creating seven rapid bus lines and more than 60 plazas citywide.
A founding principal with Bloomberg Associates, she works with mayors around the world to reimagine and redesign their cities. She chairs the National Association of Transportation Officials (NACTO) and Global Designing Cities Initiative, implementing new people-focused street design standards, which have been adopted in more than 150 cities across the United States and around the world. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Occidental College, and a J.D. from Columbia University School of Law.
Janette Sadik-Khan is the author of the book, Street Fight, Handbook for an Urban Revolution. A practical guide to showing how New York City’s streets have been transformed into safer spaces for pedestrians and cyclists through innovative urban design and strategic space relocation techniques. It is an empowering road map for city leaders, planners, and engineers to inspire rethinking, reinvigorating, and redesigning our cities. She is featured in the 2025 documentary film Changing Lanes, directed by Ben Wolf, the 73-minute film explores the grassroots struggle to redesign McGuinnes Boulevard in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, into safer, street-level space following a hit-and-run. The documentary features Sadik-Kahn alongside musician David Byrne, as they discuss the impact of the street transformations on communities and the future of urban mobility.
Sadik-Khan’s earlier awards include the following…
|
2011 |
Jane Jacobs Medal for New Ideas and Activism |
Rockefeller Foundation |
|
2011-2012 |
Edmund N. Bacon Memorial Award |
Philadelphia Center for Architecture |
|
2012 |
Rachel Carson Award |
National Audubon Society |
|
George S. Lewis Award |
American Institute of Architects |
|
|
Smart Solution Spotlight Award |
ITS America |
|
|
2012-2013 |
Lawrence M. Orton Award |
American Planning Association |
|
2013 |
Design Patron Award |
Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum |
The Seaside Prize is a testament to the tremendous impact Janette Sadik-Khan has had on the built environment. Her work inspires architects, planners, urban planners, urban designers, developers, traffic engineers, and community leaders to think about safer and more efficient pedestrian outcomes.
Janette Sadik-Khan will be presented the award at the awards ceremony on Saturday, February 6, 2027, by Seaside, Florida, founder Robert and Daryl Davis. The ceremony will be hosted at The Chapel at Seaside, and it promises to be an evening of celebration, reflection, and inspiration.
Registration opens for the 2027 Seaside Prize on October 1st, 2026.
About the SEASIDE Prize™:
The Seaside Prize is an annual award presented by the Seaside Institute to individuals who have made significant contributions to the fields of architecture, urban planning, and community development. The recipients are selected based on their exceptional achievements, commitment to design excellence, and their positive impact on communities around the world.
About the SEASIDE Institute™:
The Seaside Institute was founded in 1982. It is a non-profit organization that has been dedicated to advancing the ideas of community, education, and design for 44 years. Through research, programs, and events, the institute strives to create sustainable, resilient, and livable communities. With its roots in the iconic town of Seaside, Florida, the Seaside Institute serves as a collaborative hub for architects, urban planners, and community leaders.
About SEASIDE®:
Seaside, Florida, was founded in 1981 by Robert and Daryl Davis. Later, the architectural influence of Andrés Duany and Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk explored the ideas of traditional town design before sprawl became the new normal. Seaside is considered the birthplace of New Urbanism through its influence and radical ideas to minimize the trending sprawl and go back to the roots of walkable, sustainable, mixed-use town planning. Seaside soon became a place people sought out to experience as a retreat. Other towns and communities worldwide were influenced by the core principles that Seaside embodies. Seaside has become a movement, not just a location, as its rich roots and history make it truly a unique pioneer to all who study New Urbanism principles.
