TOPIC
Accessibility
Getting Into It
For artists and audiences with disabilities, traditional theater spaces can present significant barriers. A new production by Ryan Haddad seeks to build access into the show’s design.
On the Up and Up
A joyful, accessible swing set promises a high-flying experience for people of many abilities. Can it also clear the bureaucratic hurdles that hamper exciting inclusive designs?
Accessibility, Augmented
From video-enabled visual interpretation to 3D audio effects, smartphone wayfinding apps have a lot to offer Blind users. But these new features are no substitute for public infrastructure — digital or otherwise — that accounts for nonvisual navigation of the built environment.
Signs of the Times
From small and ubiquitous markers to massive bespoke steel numerals, this longstanding Greenpoint signage company helps New Yorkers navigate the city.
The New Public Water
Drinking water is all around us, but just out of reach. Can simple tweaks to the city’s emergency infrastructure radically expand access to this precious resource?
Our Fair City
50 years after the passage of a landmark law, how will New York City assess the fairness of its housing?
Reentry: Start Here
People returning to city life after time in prison will soon be able to find help at some branch libraries. How can designers help librarians create life-saving connections?
See and Be Seen
When safe space is hard to find, art and events collective Papi Juice gives queer and trans people of color a home — and a soundtrack — for the night.
House Proud
As a generation of queer pioneers reaches old age, new models of housing and community space leverage design to meet their needs.
Public Space Arms Race
Battles for inclusion and exclusion in the life of the city more often end in stand-offs than in skirmishes.