The graduate program’s first semester studio introduced the graduate students to the urban design process; with New York City as a laboratory for investigation. The student teams confronted the complexity and scale of Hunts Point, South Bronx; Long Island City, Queens; Brooklyn Bridge/Cadman Plaza, Brooklyn; St. George, Staten Island. They interviewed residents, experts and engaged stakeholder groups. From this research and outreach, sites and programs were tested and developed for intervention. The final proposals identified and investigated the complex, layered contexts, operating at multiple scales, within which urban places are embedded. The final presentations featuring student video, models, and drawings took place at our graduate studio on Broadway and 61st street, overlooking Columbus Circle and Central Park in Manhattan.

The students benefited from input of our design jury, which drew from world-class faculty and active professionals leading global practices based in the New York City metropolitan area:

• David Allin, Senior Associate, Diller Scofio Renfro
• Ernest Hutton Jr., FAICP Assoc. AIA, Hutton Associates
• Bill Browning, Founding Partner, Terrapin
• Robert Balder, Cornell University
• Janette Kim, GSAPP Columbia University
• Albert Wei, AICP, CUD, LEED AP, Senior Associate Principal, KPF
• Jack Robbins, Principal, FXFOWLE
• Daniel Windsor, AICP, PP, LEED AP BD+C, Associate, Perkins Will
• Brian Nesin, AIA, LEED AP, Associate, Dattner
• Darryl Zuk, Senior Project Manager, NYC EDC
• Rob Cleary, CookFox
• David Grider, AIA, LEED AP, David Grider Architect
• Nick Hornig, ARB, RIBA, APA, Cambridge/Harvard GSD
• Judith DiMaio, FAIA, Dean, NYIT
• Beyhan Karahan, AIA, LEED AP, NYIT
• Matthias Altwicker, AIA, LEED AP, NYIT
• Lior Galili, AIA, NYIT
• Shan Jayakumar, NYIT

Course Professors:

• Andrew Heid, NOA, Adjunct Professor NYIT
• Eugene Kwak, LEED AP BD+C, Cook + Fox, Adjunct Professor NYIT
• Jeffrey Raven, AIA, LEED BD+C, Director MAURD, Associate Professor