Less, Here.
Reducing Overstimulation in Public Space through Gentle Urbanism

Location: Manhattan, New York, USA

Degree Project

In Collaboration with: Mariam Hanna

This project seeks to reform the current condition of urban public spaces, offering a sense of calm and escape amid chaos. Through a renewed differentiation of the street grade into conditions we describe as above, below, and within, we create diverse levels of stimulation through pockets of auditory control, giving greater user agency. Currently, urban public space is overstimulating and undifferentiated, characterized by uninterrupted openness, constant visual and auditory noise, and an expectation of continuous social performance. While some people may find comfort in the noise, there is no dial to it, and no way to escape it without leaving the busy areas of the city entirely.

How can architecture not just design efficient urban spaces, but do so in a way that allows it to benefit all users, and without accentuating feelings of otherness?