CONNE-CITY

Reconnecting Urban Life: Addressing Social Isolation Through Design

Collaborators: Vicky Luo (Cornell M.S.AUD '24), Alex Xu (Cornell M.S.AUD '24)

Instructor:Shachi Pandey and Jieun Yang

Have you ever felt lonely in the city? We are currently living in an epidemic of social isolation, where genuine human connections are increasingly rare.

In recent decades, the primary focus of investments in public spaces has been on eliminating perceived threats. This has resulted in fenced-off areas, defensive architecture, and constant surveillance. While these measures have made our public spaces safer, they have also diminished the sense of connection among us. Many public spaces have disappeared, replaced by privatized areas designed more for retail circulation than for people. Disconnected from the urban environment, individuals often retreat to digital spaces, attempting to replace genuine social interactions with less fulfilling online engagements. This shift has impacted the economic vitality of retail-oriented areas.

During the summer semester at Cornell University AAPNYC's Advanced Urban Design program, instructed by professors Shachi Pandey and Jieun Yang, we explored how to reimagine and redesign public spaces to foster meaningful human connections. By prioritizing environments that encourage interaction and participation, we aim to draw people out of their digital cocoons and back into vibrant physical communities.

We invite you to watch our 5-minute thematic video, "NEGLE_CITY", which tells the story of "loneliness" in New York City.

Video Link: Watch here