January 23, 2025
Cornell Tech in New York City hosted Migrant Commons: Community, Heritage & Technology, a two-day, hybrid symposium and workshop on Dec. 8 and 9 that brought together global experts across disciplines – landscape architecture, urban design, technology, policy, public sector, and governance.
The event explored how digital technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can enhance participatory design processes and better incorporate the lived experiences of underrepresented communities – particularly immigrants – in the creation of inclusive public spaces.
Migrant Commons was part of The Sound of Silence, a transdisciplinary research project mapping immigrant experiences in public spaces using social media and generative AI. Supported by the Cornell Migrations Grand Global Challenge and the Mellon Foundation Just Futures Initiative Grant, the project is led by co-principal investigators Cristobal Cheyre Forestier, assistant professor of information science in the Cornell Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, Maria Goula, professor of landscape architecture in the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), Lee Humphreys, professor of communication and chair of the Department of Communication in Cornell CALS, and Duarte Santo, lecturer of landscape architecture in Cornell CALS.
Through engaging presentations, discussions, and workshops, the symposium sought solutions for the urgent need for resilient, community-driven public spaces in immigrant neighborhoods, especially as cities face increasing migration flows and climate challenges. Participants also delved into the challenges and opportunities of using information and communications technologies (ICTs) and AI to foster meaningful dialogue between practitioners, policy makers, public managers, and diverse publics.
Among the speakers were NYC-based faculty from Cornell Bowers CIS: Wendy Ju, associate professor at the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute at Cornell Tech and the Technion, and Tapan Parikh, associate professor at Cornell Tech and in the Department of Information Science at Cornell.
Other featured speakers included:
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Robert W. Balder, executive director of the Gensler Family AAP NYC Center
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Martin Rein-Cano, founder of Topotek 1
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Damiano Cerrone, cofounder of UrbanistAI
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Marina Cervera, founder of the NABLABCN Studio
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Carl DiSalvo, associate professor in the College of Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology and the James Wei Visiting Professor at the Keller Center at Princeton University.
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Nicolas Grefenstette of the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation
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Catherine Griffiths, assistant professor in the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation
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Christopher Kroner of MASS Design Group
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Marco Rangel of Studio-MLA
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Maria Gabriella Trovato, associate professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences and chair of the International Federation of Landscape Architects working group, Landscape Architects without Borders
The organizers wish to thank all speakers, participants, and collaborators for making this a transformative event.
Provided by the organizers of Migrant Commons: Community, Heritage & Technology.