Harlem, NY – March 6, 2025
The Center for Smart Streetscapes (CS3) hosted the third and final session of the CS3 Cultural AR Co-Design Workshop Series, bringing together faculty, students, and community members to explore innovative ways to enhance Harlem’s smart city infrastructure. Led by Professor Brian Smith and Lisa DiSalvo, PhD Student, and including community participants, CS3 staff, engineering students, and faculty, the session focused on leveraging technology to increase civic participation, improve access to community resources, and preserve Harlem’s cultural identity.
A Collaborative and Engaging Atmosphere
Unlike the previous sessions, participants entered the space with an established familiarity, engaging in conversations about Harlem politics, community development, and shared professional interests before the session officially began.
The workshop followed an interactive format, incorporating a sticky-note tour from previous sessions to revisit key themes and a media card exercise to brainstorm technological solutions for urban challenges. Participants worked both individually and in groups, generating creative ideas to enhance Harlem’s streetscape, historical awareness, and community engagement.
Key Themes and Insights
Solution Awareness: Making Resources Visible
A recurring concern was the lack of awareness about Harlem’s historical and community resources. Participants proposed using QR codes embedded in buildings and on major avenues to direct residents to cultural and civic information. The goal was to ensure solutions were conspicuous and easily accessible to the public.
Solution Adaptability: Iterative Problem-Solving
Throughout the brainstorming process, ideas evolved dynamically. One participant suggested stationary digital kiosks for sharing real-time information, but others countered that mobile screens on vehicles could expand the reach. Accessibility was also discussed, with calls for audio components for the visually impaired.
Civic Engagement Through Digital Innovation
Several participants proposed interactive features to enhance civic participation. Ideas included geo-located notifications on historical landmarks, sound-activated alerts for upcoming developments, and community-driven data input apps. A particularly engaging idea was to transform construction scaffolding into an information hub rather than an urban eyesore.
Sustainable Urban Infrastructure
Concerns about street conditions and transportation safety sparked ideas such as protected bike lanes, light posts doubling as charging stations, and interactive air-quality monitors that display pollution levels in real-time. One popular suggestion was a sensor-based system that shames littering with audio prompts like, “You dropped something.”
Strengthening Social Networks
As this was the third session, participants displayed a stronger rapport, with many already connected through civic organizations and professional networks. While this created a productive and familiar environment, it also raised the question of who was not represented in the room. Expanding outreach efforts through network mapping was suggested to ensure diverse community voices are included in future co-design processes.
Next Steps: From Ideas to Action
The session concluded with a discussion on the future of these ideas, emphasizing the need to refine concepts based on feasibility and community impact. The workshop provided a foundation for further research and development, highlighting what excites the community and where gaps in representation still exist.
As Harlem continues to evolve, the insights from this co-design series will be crucial in shaping an inclusive, tech-integrated urban landscape that reflects and serves its residents.
If you are interested in learning more about CS3 community engagement activities, please contact our team at streetscapes@columbia.edu.