Architectures of Belonging:
Ownership in NYC
Interview Series, Interview Visualization
Independent Research _ 2022-2023
Cambridge / NYC
Qualitative Researcher, Data Visualizer, Narrative Builder
Research funded by the Ennis Research Award at MIT SAP.
Architectures of Belonging: Ownership in NYC is an interview series with NYC residents that addresses questions surrounding self-identified belonging and the built environment. The research was particularly interested in how minority-identifying bodies foster a sense of belonging within environments designed for exclusivity and, more generally, how residents can grow feelings of ownership over spaces in the city.
The participants shared a varied set of relationships to public space. Many interviewees described a connection between feelings of ownership and a local with a consistent point of return. Another interesting phenomenon was the connection some residents drew from with clear and unique spatial identifiers (e.g., a large sculpture or a unique piece of furniture) or environments in different parts of the city that have similar sensorial stimuli (e.g., the sound of water or proximity to bodies). Not so curiously, almost all participants felt on guard while waiting in the subway.
The featured interview is with longtime NYC resident Cecley Hill.