As New Yorkers, we live so much of our lives in public: on the stoop and sidewalk, in restaurants, on the subway, and on whatever patches of green or park benches we can claim. In many ways, public space is our most valuable asset. The COVID-19 pandemic brought that into stark relief, and was a catalyst for improving and adding to the stock in creative and scrappy ways, while subtly shifting our sense of responsibility for our neighbors and our city.
Five years after the height of this life-altering event, the fall issue of Oculus will focus on the idea of publicly accessible spaces and their care. How do we care for and maintain hard-won public projects so they will be useful, safe, and enjoyable decades beyond the ribbon-cutting? How does the creation of a major infrastructure improvement or megaproject affect residents and business owners during the inevitable mess that results on the way to something better? What makes a public space welcoming—and to whom? Parks, gardens, plazas, and playgrounds are obvious sites for consideration, but so are our waste management systems, transportation hubs and arteries, food carts, and bodegas.
For our upcoming issue, the editors encourage op-ed submissions that address how we can improve the design of the spaces and public infrastructure where we spend the majority of our days. We welcome historical perspectives as well.
Please submit op-eds of 800 words to editor@aiany.org by August 25.
