News: Winter Update 2018-2019

Urban Design Lab Director Richard Plunz published “Coming of Age in the Age of Moses,” dedicated to the Urban Renewal in New York City from 1950 to 1980. The book New York Rising is a history of the city real estate development including speculation, innovation and risks that collectively shaped the city. The source for this book is drawn from the Durst Collection, recently donated to the Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library. The book is published by Monacelli Press.
https://www.monacellipress.com/book/?isbn=9781580934619

On December 20, Maria-Paola Sutto spoke in the panel “Big Conversations: Data Vs Information, Art Vs. Science” at “DECODE: Artists Policing Data” – an initiative and exhibition analyzing differing ways of exploring/connecting/recomposing data through scientific inquiry and artistic responses. At the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

On December 12-14, the design studio component of the Urban Design Lab post-Maria Vieques Initiative in Puerto Rico presented the final recommendations for “New Paradigms for a Resilient Vieques” at GSAPP and at the Earth Institute. The work was reviewed very favorably, and soon the elements of the various project will find applications that will spread in the island.

The latest research of the Urban Design Lab on the blockchain-energy nexus will be presented at the International Conference on the Built Environment S.ARCH 2019 in Havana, Cuba.

Richard Plunz spoke at the GlobeMed Global Health Conference at Barnard College on “Re-Envisioning Health in Kumasi, Ghana” and on the Urban Design Lab design of the specialty hospital at Juaben, developed for the West Africa Health Foundation.

The Urban Design Lab post-Maria Vieques Innovation Hub initiative in Puerto Rico continued the collaboration with the Vieques Conservation and Historical Trust (VCHT). The President Kenneth Storms and Mark Martin Bras came to New York and reviewed the progress of the design component of the Vieques Initiative at the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation.

On November 7, the UDL hosted the Mayor of Hackney Borough, London Phillip Glanville, to discuss sustainable development initiatives including the Hackney affordable housing program. The English Mayor is implementing best practices in its housing program, and proposed an exchange with the lab for furthering the tools for building effective, diverse, healthy, and sustainable communities.

On November 1, Richard Plunz met Ran Hua, Vice Mayor of Nanjing, PR China, for a discussion aimed at the implementation of mutual research interests through new funding stream. October was the time for the Korean delegates from Seoul, with Policy Advisor to the Minister of Public Works, the Director of Urban Planning, the Design Team Manager. The discussion was for an intervention relative to the zoning reconfiguration for the district of Gangnam.