Perspectives
Climate Strong Communities
Hear from the community leaders that are helping shape Climate Strong Communities (CSC) — a multi-year program led by the New York City Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ). The program fosters collaboration between city agencies and community groups to assess climate risks, envision solutions, and source funding for projects that will mitigate extreme heat and flooding in climate justice communities. Starr Whitehouse is supporting One Architecture & Urbanism with resilience planning and leading the team's community engagement. In two years, CSC has created a network of “Neighborhood Support Teams” in 10 communities across New York City’s five boroughs. 60 leaders and community organizations are now working with the City and the design team to scope local adaptation projects. In this video, CSC's community partners discuss their vision for a community-resilient New York City.
Many thanks to Central Brooklyn EDC, Pitkin Avenue BID, Project Hospitality, HEALTH for Youths, New York Hall of Science, Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice, and all of the partner organizations and other CSC workshop participants!
Shout out to our incredible partners on the design team: ONE Architecture and Urbanism, Manuel Miranda Practice, Jacobs, Climate Adaptation Partners, Matrix New World, eDesign Dynamics
Video by:
- Producer/Director: Patricia Wedding
- Director of Photography / Camera I / Editor: Nenman Walbe
- Camera II: Ron Thompson
- Camera Production Assistant: Yuni Félix-Hodelin:
The LinC at FCWC Streetscapes Seminar
Partner Laura Starr speaks to the Federated Conservationists of Westchester County (FCSW) about our team's work converting a highway into a verdant park in downtown New Rochelle. Named the LinC, the park reconnects a historically prosperous African American community fragmented by a 1950s-era highway. Starr Whitehouse led over 60 hours of engagement to create a community-driven park design that supports economic, physical, and mental health, soaks up 750,000 gallons of stormwater, and brings eight acres of nature back into the heart of New Rochelle. Watch Laura's talk at left, or read more about LinC on the City of New Rochelle's website.Sustainable Stormwater Management: Partnerships in Design and Planning
Our team explores three projects that partner designers with communities, agencies and anchor institutions to leverage stormwater infrastructure for recreation, habitat expansion, education, and vocational training. Part of the 2021 Midwest Regional Sustainability Summit, hosted by Green Umbrella.Community Resilience From East Harlem to West Atlanta
How can we combine physical and social infrastructure to make not only resilient spaces, but also resilient communities? And how can planners and designers engage residents as equal partners in the design process? This video presents two case studies from projects in East Harlem and West Atlanta—highlights from a panel discussion at Park Pride's 2020 Parks & Greenspace Conference.University of Kentucky Creative Study Tour 2020
Landscape Architecture students at the University of Kentucky stop by Starr Whitehouse's Atlanta office to hear Principal Jacob Lange speak on the creative process, one of several stops on their 2020 Creative Study Tour.
East Harlem Gets Ready
In an article for Urban Omnibus, Michael Haggerty and DREAM Charter School’s Emily Parkey describe the development of the Climate Resilience Leadership Lab, and how it is enlisting neighborhood youth in helping lead the “intergenerational proposition” of resiliency. Developed as part of Starr Whitehouse’s A Vision for a Resilient East Harlem and now in its second year, the Lab provides a replicable model for resilience education, producing a full-semester curriculum and emergency preparedness guide grounded in the conditions and assets of East Harlem.
Knowing Yourself: Laura Starr on Creating Journeys, Facilitating People, and Running a Business
In an interview with Julia Gamolina of Madame Architect, Laura talks about how she got to where she is today, her love for facilitating collaborative decision-making, and the experience of starting and running a business.Sneak Peek at Growing a Living Wall
Sempergreen's Joep Van Vilsteren shares a sneak peek at a living wall being grown at the Sempergreen nursery in Virginia before it is installed at one of our projects in New York!