David Burney

David Burney is Commissioner of the New York City Department of Design and Construction. The DDC manages capital projects for city agencies and for the many cultural institutions such as libraries and museums that receive municipal capital funds. With the support of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, David Burney launched a city-wide “Design and Construction Excellence Initiative” with the goal of raising the quality of design and construction of public works throughout New York City.

Burney is a Visiting Professor at the Pratt Institute School of Planning and Sustainable Development. He is also Chair of the Center for Active Design, which supports public health by increasing opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating through the design of the built environment.

Burney was educated at the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh and at the University of London. He received the AIA NYC Chapter Public Architect Award in 1996, the Center for Architecture Award in 2006 and the Thomas Jefferson Award in 2011.