Living in the Shade Exhibition

This exhibition, co-curated with Nicholas Bloom of Hunter College, offers a fresh perspective on New York’s public housing landscapes, revisiting the changing design strategies and lived experience. NYCHA administrators devoted far more acreage to lawns and paths than buildings because they were convinced that, in contrast to the city’s tenement blocks, NYCHA grounds would “ventilate the neighborhood.” The reality of these spaces for residents and managers on the ground was more complex than the planners imagined, leading to decades of creative placemaking designed to overcome unanticipated challenges.

NYCHA’s current management actively seeks new approaches and partners to restore meaning, resilience, community, and fun to its open spaces. At long last, residents play a more direct role in reshaping their communities, which may result in a more lasting and satisfying solution for community needs.

To learn more about our work, read our booklet:

Living in The Shade: The Past, Present and Future of NYCHA Open Space

Photos: Archphoto / Eduard Hueber, Studio A+H / Various, NPHM / Various