Harlem, NY – February 27, 2025
The second session of the CS3 Cultural AR Co-Design Workshop brought together faculty, students, and community members to build on the discussions and priorities established in the first session. With 21 attendees—including returning and new community participants, CS3 staff, and engineering students—the evening was a dynamic exchange of ideas centered on technology, history, and community-driven solutions.
The facilitators opened the session with a recap of previous discussions and an overview of the workshop’s broader goal: exploring how engineering and technology can address local issues. As participants introduced themselves, a key theme emerged—Harlem is not a monolithic community, but a collection of distinct cultural and historical identities. This insight set the tone for the evening’s discussions.
The workshop built upon the results of the first session’s voting activity, which identified history and culture, affordable housing, and education as the top concerns. Participants engaged in a “sticky note tour,” reviewing categorized ideas from last time.
- Some debated the term “Harlem Culture and History,” with a participant advocating for a broader label recognizing the different cultural affiliations within Harlem.
- Discussions highlighted the need for better resource awareness, noting that while institutions like Columbia possess valuable assets, their benefits don’t always extend to Harlem residents.
Participants split into two pods to discuss themes such as community engagement, historical preservation, well-being, and accessibility of resources.
- Cultural Preservation: Stories surfaced about the closure of historic institutions, like jazz clubs and theaters, raising concerns about erasure and gentrification.
- Urban Development & Access to Capital: The conversation touched on land consumption by major institutions, the lack of community-centered funding, and economic disparities between different parts of Harlem.
- Well-Being & Public Services: Participants noted gaps in healthcare access, the absence of clinics, and the mental health toll of neighborhood changes.
- Public Infrastructure: Issues like littering, used needles in school zones, and limited access to public bathrooms were key concerns, leading to discussions on potential tech solutions like sensor-based litter monitoring.
As the workshop neared its conclusion, participants engaged in a rapid-fire idea generation session, considering both high-tech and low-tech solutions for community challenges. Ideas ranged from better signage and block-by-block action plans to virtual town halls and improved public resource guides.
With momentum building, the workshop closed with reflections and a preview of the next session, where participants will begin prototyping potential solutions. A strong sense of community was evident as attendees lingered to continue conversations, eager to collaborate further in the next session.
This second workshop reinforced the importance of designing solutions that reflect the diverse needs of Harlem’s communities, the economic realities they face, and the historical context that shapes them. The insights from these discussions will serve as a foundation for the next steps in the co-design process.
If you are interested in learning more about CS3 community engagement initiatives, please contact our team at streetscapes@columbia.edu.