[5] Metropolis annually hosts a range of virtual and in-person events alongside design competition schemes encouraging innovation and sustainability .

Havemeyer III was born in Dix Hills moving to New York City in 1969 where he worked at Doubleday publishers as a production planning supervisor for a decade.

[8] As evidenced in early editions, the magazine began with a particular focus on architecture in New York City and quickly expanded to embrace a range of design disciplines internationally.

[10] Metropolis' values largely surrounded Szenasy's writings, which emphasize the importance of ethics and sustainable intervention in the education and practices of designers.

The magazine investigates the role designers can play in reversing the climate crisis by rejecting developments founded on self-interest and monetary gain.

[13] With a strong focus on futurist ideals and sustainability Metropolis encourages affirmative action in developing a progressive and environmentally enduring world.

The magazine remains heavily influenced by the work and writings of former editor, Susan S. Szenasy, due to the accuracy at which she was able to anticipate changing realities within design from the 80's to the present moment.

[10] As part of Metropolis's 40th anniversary the magazine republished old pieces that anticipated trends in design that remain pertinent today with a particular focus on "work, sustainability, the wellness movement, the concept of reuse, gender issues, accessibility and the new digital technologies.

The competition encourages experienced designers to create based around five major themes: collaboration, wellness, effectiveness and productivity, office culture, and sustainability.

This award honours effectiveness and overall excellence in which "writing, reporting, editing, and design all come together to command readers attention and fulfill the magazines unique editorial decision".

[24][25] In 2007 Havemeyer III, Szenasy and Metropolis won the CIVITAS August Heckscher Award [40] "for their twenty-five years pursuing enlightened and intelligent documentation of life in urban America, especially New York City".