Course Schedule

*Reading and homework assignments should be completed prior to the class session where they are listed. All readings are listed by author’s last name with the exception of government websites which are listed by title.  PDFs are available on Blackboard.

Week 1 Course themes and key terms introduced; paying attention; public space 

Aug 25 Introduction; public space; Stavrides 

Aug 30 Spaces and feelings; paying attention 

Reading: Gehl; Odell (excerpts)

Week 2 Site Visit #1 MetroTech Commons and Downtown BK; Guest lecture: land use and urbanism history (Jason Montgomery, Architectural Technology Dept), Cadman Plaza Architectural Tour (Michael Duddy, Architectural Technology Dept); ownership of space

Sep 1 Cadman Plaza Architectural Tour (guest facilitated)

Reading: New York City’s Privately Owned Public Spaces; “About that Square”

Sept 6 Metrotech Commons 

Reading: Shepard & Smithsimon (excerpts) 

Week 3 Sociopolitical dimensions of walking / disappearing spaces / spatial rules / “empty” spaces; Guest: Gowanus Plant Walk facilitated by Ellie Irons

Sept 8 Land use and urbanism history (guest lecture); research using historic photos and newspapers

Reading: Pujol “Walking Urban Memories”

Sept 13 Vacant spaces / Gowanus plant walk

Reading: Irons

Week 4 Guest lecture: Brooklyn waterfront history (Susan Phillip, Hospitality Dept); ecology and industry; zoning; neighborhood research 

Sept 15 Your neighborhood; my neighborhood 

Homework: Observational research activity in your neighborhood

Reading: Busá

Sept 20 Guest Lecture: Brooklyn waterfront 

Homework: Site report #1 Due 

Sept 22 My Brooklyn (film) and discussion

Sept 27 No Classes Scheduled

Sept 29 Classes follow Monday Schedule

Oct 4 No Classes Scheduled

Viewing: Citizen Jane

Week 5 Site Visit #2 Brooklyn Bridge Park 

Oct 6 Online Documents; Government Documents research

Reading: Kensinger

Oct 11 Brooklyn Bridge Park Visit

Reading: Dawson 

Week 6 Guest lecture: Juan Barahona (SMJ Development); land use research

Oct 13 Guest lecture; East Side Coastal Resiliency Project 

Reading: Kimmelman, Kiel 

Oct 18 Occupy Sandy / flooding in Red Hook; Research methods: Library sources 

Homework: Site Report #2 Due

Week 7 Site Visit #3 parts 1& 2: Red Hook Visit (Guest Facilitator: Marcus Wilford, Landscape Designer, Architect & Urban Planner); performance and disruption

Oct 20  Red Hook Visit (guest facilitated)

Reading: Montalbano

Oct 22 Community District Profiles; Public social science research methods

Homework: Red Hook community survey / questionnaire design based on Community District Profiles 

Week 8 Guest Lecture: Anna Tsomo and Aderinsola Babawale (No North BK Fracked Gas Pipeline Coalition)  with students from the Teen Climate Justice Program; Land Back

Oct 25 Red Hook Visit; Invisible theater & disruptive interventions 

Reading: Boal

Oct 27 Final project introduced; Groups assigned for final projects; community and issue research 

Viewing: Climate Changes Reverend Billy (film); Next Epoch Seed Library (film)

Week 9 Site Visit #4: Intervention sites; community and issue research; final projects

Nov 1 Sixth Street Community Center Visit (guest facilitated / lecture)

No Pipelines / Sacrifice Zones

Reading: Moran

Nov 3 Podcast overview / examples

Homework: Research for Annotated Bibliography; listen to a podcast–take notes on format and research integration and be prepared to share with the class. 

Homework: Site Report #3 Due

Week 10 Research Seminar: Research Questions, Proposals, Annotated Bibliography

Nov 8 Final project group work

Reading / Listening: Boyd & Mitchell; “Social Justice Tours.” 

Nov 10 Final project group work; annotated bibliographies and copyright

Homework: Final project proposal due

Week 11 Podcast recording and editing

Nov 15 Final project group work; Podcast tech instructions

Nov 17 Final project group work; OpenLab tech instructions

Homework: Annotated bibliography Due 

Week 12 Final site visit

Nov 22 St. Ann’s Warehouse visit / Adaptive reuse (guest facilitated)

Nov 24 College Closed; No Classes Scheduled

Week 13 Final project group work; Podcast final editing and Documentation

Nov 29 Final project group work

Dec 1 Final project group work; Develop Openlab project sites 

Week 14 Group work: documentation

Dec 6 Final project group work

Dec 8 Final project group work

Week 15 Final project presentations & reflections

Dec 13 Final project presentations & reflections

Dec 15 Final project presentations & reflections