Senior Thesis: Building Community

fall 2020-spring 2021 | key words: ethnography, participatory design, systems thinking, social impact, community

Project Overview

The project set out to transform urban sustainability practices by engaging communities directly in the decision-making process. At the core of this initiative was the creation of the Community Deck, an innovative tool designed to democratize urban planning and facilitate effective communication between city planners and community members.

Research Process

• Desk Research: Explored topics such as community engagement, participatory governance, participatory budgeting, participatory action research, as well as gentrification and rezoning in New York City, with a special focus on Williamsburg. This research aimed to understand existing frameworks and best practices, identifying gaps and opportunities for enhancing community participation in urban development.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Conducted interviews with urban planners, community leaders, and residents to collect a wide range of perspectives on building participatory communities within urban environments. These discussions provided a wealth of insights into the challenges and goals of community-driven urban planning.

• Community Board Observations: Detailed observations were made at community board meetings across New York City boroughs to gain a clear understanding of their processes and the experiences of their constituents. This engagement led to a partnership with a Williamsburg Community Board member, furthering involvement in sub-committee meetings and gaining valuable insights.

• Community Deck Conceptualization: The insights gathered from extensive research, stakeholder interviews, and community board observations inspired the development of the Community Deck. This tool was designed to integrate community voices into urban planning, policy-making, and advocacy processes effectively, positioning resident input at the heart of urban development strategies.

The Community Deck

An innovative strategy to invigorate the conversation between community boards and residents, aiming to sculpt a future marked by enhanced participation and accessibility. This initiative represents a proactive step towards engaging community members in discussions about complex urban issues, utilizing a framework that fosters understanding and inclusivity across diverse groups.

Core Features:

• Functionality: With its 163 thoughtfully designed prompts, the Community Deck invites participants to temporarily suspend their current perceptions of urban living. This encourages a creative exploration of possibilities, pushing beyond existing limitations to imagine alternative futures. The deck is structured to support essential processes such as identifying issues, brainstorming potential solutions, and collectively determining priorities for urban sustainability efforts.

• Accessibility: The deck is crafted with an emphasis on straightforward and relatable language, breaking down the complexities of urban planning into digestible, engaging concepts. This approach is geared towards ensuring that the process is inclusive, allowing for broad participation and the integration of varied perspectives into the urban planning dialogue.

Impact & Reflection

Throughout the semester, my journey with this thesis highlighted the complexities of bridging community engagement with urban planning. Despite encountering obstacles in collaborating with community boards and the inherent challenges of remote learning, my resolve to foster participatory governance was strengthened. This endeavor taught me valuable lessons about the dynamics of community boards and the essential role of creativity and persistence in effecting change within urban settings. The Community Deck, born from these experiences, stands as a testament to the potential of participatory design in empowering communities and shaping urban development. This project not only deepened my understanding of participatory processes but also affirmed my dedication to making meaningful contributions to the field of urban planning.