Our work at NYC Plazas
August 2012.
July 2012
Pedestrian plazas have long been a common feature of European cities. Here in NYC, they began appearing in greater numbers starting around 2008, organized by community-based groups with the help of NYC DOT’s Plaza Program. And contrary to what many people may think, most are not in high-traffic, tourist areas of Manhattan, but in the transit and shopping hubs of neighborhoods in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx.
Plazas are of special significance to the city’s low income and immigrant communities. In many cases, they offer much-needed physical open space for simply sitting and watching people go by. And they also offer symbolic space that can contain a community’s aspirations, and instill pride. These are the new centers of New York City, and we should pay attention to what happens in them.
Below is a look at some of our recent work in NYC Plazas. If you are a community group working on a plaza, contact us!
Blog posts about our work at NYC Plazas:
Creating a place to draw on the streets of NYC with Blick Art Materials
Over the next several months, the Uni Project will work with Blick Art Materials to bring our open-air art studio (DRAW NYC) to community street festivals known as Weekend Walks. Today we were hosted by Hamilton Heights-West Harlem Community Preservation Organization...
Uni Project returns to Corona Plaza for 10th Anniversary of NYC Plaza Program
Today we returned to Corona Plaza as part of a 10th anniversary celebration of the NYC Plaza Program, hosted by NYC Department of Transportation. This was our 24th visit to Corona Plaza, including one in 2012 before it was closed to vehicular traffic. We...
READ and EXPLORE (with birds!) at Albee Square, Brooklyn
On Saturday, April 21, the Uni Project deployed our READ and EXPLORE programs to Albee Square in Brooklyn, hosted by Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. Thanks to our partner WSP Eco Projects for bringing out the birds! [ngg_images source="galleries"...