Van Alen Institute is a nonprofit architecture and design organization based in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn. Founded in 1894 as the Society of Beaux-Arts Architects, it took its current name in 1995 in honor of architect William Van Alen and shifted to a community-focused model in 2020, working to advance equitable cities through inclusive, community-led design. The institute builds coalitions of designers, local stakeholders, and city leaders around public-space projects, offering scoping support, hands-on guidance, and seed funding. Its initiatives have included the Neighborhoods Now pandemic-response program developed with the Urban Design Forum, a Neighborhood Design Fellowship, and public installations such as Gowanus's Block Party.