Community Planning In Red Hook Brooklyn, NY

Year Semester: 2013 Summer

Course Number: PLAN810-840

Course Name: Planning Studio 

Departments: GCPE (PSPD)

Location: NYC

Community Partners: 

Student Participants:

Brady Chessy

Gilman Crimmins Rebecca

Donald Kathy

Howie York

Martinez Humberto

Mayer Brooke

Silber Emily

Washington Omari

Faculty: 

Ron Shiffman

Rice Christopher, Teaching Assistant

Consultants:

Nordenson Guy

Seavitt Catherine

Yarinsky Adam

The community planning studio will apply skills and knowledge of planning, design, preservation, and environmental systems management within the complex settings of disaster recovery   and climate change. The studio develops and tests tools for the analysis and planning of the built environment in New York City post-Hurricane Sandy with a focus on addressing social vulnerability. The studio also explores the concept of resilience – especially with respect to social, economic and environmental equity in the rebuilding process and the ways in which disaster recovery can create opportunities to address long-term social, economic, and environmental development issues. 

The studio is organized in three phases: 1) Assessment, 2) Scenario Planning, and 3) Strategies for Sustainability and Resilience. During the first phase, students map and analyze the New York City Harbor and Red Hook, Brooklyn, with a focus on identifying vulnerabilities. During phases 2 and 3, students develop a conceptual framework for adaptation, mitigation, and community development for Red Hook. Throughout the studio, students work collaboratively within an “office team” environment with the goal of producing a cohesive single final project.  Each student or small group is responsible for contributing to and directing the team project and is responsible for a particular focus or specific intervention to be developed over the course of the studio.

Students collaborate with other Pratt studios and visiting students and with stakeholders, including private, government, or non-profit organizations with a prioritization of the community perspective. Studio assignments include mapping and development GIS analysis related to vulnerability assessment; scenario planning; legal, regulatory, community development, and political strategies; and written reports and visualization.