the urban conga

Children playing on colorful outdoor park structures and equipment in a sunny urban park with green trees and brick apartment buildings in the background.

this is a compilation of my work as a design consultant at the urban conga, where i've assisted in the design and creation of public spaces, installations, furniture, products, and engagement strategies that promote community identity, social inclusivity, and play.

the urban conga

THE HIVE

located in west hill, new york, the hive is a community-led redesign of an underutilized alleyway in a neighborhood that has been historically impacted by gun violence. the project is a collaboration with the albany victory gardens and the van alen institute, a process that involved extensive collaboration with the local community.

the modules, which glow at night, display community art, and provide seating, gathering, and programming spaces for the garden and surrounding community.

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A woman with short brown hair speaking into a microphone at an outdoor event. She is behind a colorful display with yellow and blue honeycomb-shaped panels decorated with images of bees and flowers. A yellow banner on the display has text about bees and honey. There are flowers at the base of the display, and a city seal on a wooden podium in front of her.

kathy sheehan, mayor of albany, at opening ceremony

A group of people sitting in a semi-circle outdoors, engaging in conversation with trees and a building in the background.

community engagement and visioning

Metal sculptures with words and phrases such as 'Rise Up' and 'Unite' in an industrial workshop or gallery setting.

in-progress assembly

my contributions to the project include the design and placement of the words of affirmation, the design of the wayfinding symbols, fabrication and assembly, and the editing and coordination of community-created artwork displayed on the installation.

SPROUT

sprout is a neurodiverse playscape at nycha’s polo grounds towers in harlem, ny. the project is a part of the mayor’s action plan for neighborhood safety, a partnership between the mayor’s office, nycha, and the center for justice innovation that brings community-led programming and spaces to nycha developments facing violent crime.

A diverse group of people gathered at an urban park, with some sitting and chatting, around a colorful sculpture that promotes

through extensive engagement sessions with polo grounds towers residents, the playscape uplifts neurodiverse populations through sensory elements of texture, movement, and sound.

my contribution to the project includes design development, creation and usage of community engagement materials, conduction engagement sessions, and on-site installation.

Group of diverse women gathered around a table participating in a discussion or activity with colorful papers, markers, and building blocks, in a room with bookshelves and a yellow wall.

BOWIE BUS SHELTER

A park with a lake and green trees in the background, with an outdoor stage and a few people near a table covered with colorful sticky notes and papers, and a signboard about a community bus shelter art project.

as a part of the city of bowie's "complete the streets" program, the urban conga is collaborating with the bowie, maryland community and benjamin tasker middle school to design a bus shelter that can also serve as a community hub and programmable space.

A group of people gathered around a table outdoors, reviewing architectural design boards and materials under a canopy, with parking lot and brick building in background.

concept workshop tabling

the project is currently in the design refinement, and it will be fabricated, assembled and installed on site by the urban conga in the near future.

A messy table with various craft and building materials, including LEGO bricks, straws, scissors, paper, and a small model of a building, with two people standing behind it.

design workshop with btms students

People participating in an outdoor event, with a woman smiling and wearing sunglasses, a woman with curly hair and a clip in her hair writing on a large placard, and a woman with gray hair and glasses walking by. There are tables, chairs, and a building in the background.

tabling at farmer’s market

A person is constructing a model using colorful LEGO bricks on a table, with instruction papers and other materials scattered around, possibly for a project or educational activity.

tabling at btms back to school night

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