Moneerah AlAjaji Design Portfolio

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MONEERAH ALAJAJI DESIGN PORTFOLIO


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Whats on Your Plate? Food As Knowledge

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Kaleidoscope: Beauty Inside the Vessel

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ReciproCity: Water Urbanism in Addis Ababa

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(Re+Pro) Development

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YMCA Streetscape Improvement

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Cotton Kingdom

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Reading New York Urbanism

Urban Design Studio II

Commercial Interior Project

Urban Design Studio III

Urban Design Studio I

Architecture/Fabrication Studio

History and Theory Seminar

Urbanism and Videography Seminar


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Fast Food in Public Schools


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WHATS ON YOUR PLATE? Urban Design Studio II

Site Newburgh, Orange County, NY. Professors Kaja KĂźhl, Anna Dietzsch, Jerome Haferd, Liz McEnaney, Justin Moore, Shachi Pandey, Raafi Rivero, David Smiley, and Dragna Zoric Teammates Vasanth Mayilvahanan, Annie Wu, and Wei Zhang

Working in the Hudson Valley, the Studio operates at the regional scale and asks students to enter the discourse of urbanization beyond cities to engage unevenly dispersed socio-spatial ecosystems at multiple scales. The Hudson Valley, a region defined by multiple systems, histories, and geographies, has deep connections to New York City, the global metropolis at its southern edge. The region is understood as the integration of settlements, modes of production and consumption, and the topographic and biological contexts in which they take place. The studio explores the region’s rural/urban socio-spatial ecosystems as the site for intervention to address the global climate crisis.

Despite having many farms, fresh produce in these counties are not widely available due to their high production costs. Lack of nutritious food, easy access to fast food joints, and cheap prices of meat in grocery stores and supermarkets, create an unsustainable food cycle. These issues magnify significantly in areas like Newburgh, which has a diverse young population with school children making up for a third of the population. Therefore, there is a need to restructure the food system to reduce significant carbon emissions by providing access to quality food, changing the current meaty diet and creating awareness by educating the children for the future.


Food Systems Meat and Dairy is responsible for account for 25% of carbon 14.5% of the emissions carbon emissions

Newburgh enlarged city school district

Population 28,444 Poverty Rate 31.2% Average Age 27.9 Singles Rate 28,444 Unemployment Rate 8% K-12 Students 10,745

Public School Locations Food Desert Zone 0%-27% Students Having Free/ Reduced-Price Lunch 28%-46% Students Having Free/ Reduced-Price Lunch 47%-95% Students Having Free/ Reduced-Price Lunch

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Hudson Valley Site Map


First U.S. case of mad cow disease Publication of dietary guidelines-associated health impacts Meat crisis due to decrease in major cow feed-anchovies Policies viewing fast food as cheaper alternatives to develop low-income areas 1,000th McDonald’s restaurant opens SBA subsidized fast food chains in food desert areas

1st McDonald’s restaurant opens

Per capita availability of boneless trimmed meat/ lbs per year

History of Diet Change


High School 3217 (Two Schools) Newburgh Free Academy North High School 3217 (Two Schools)

Newburgh Free Academy

K-5 791 Gams Tech Magnet School

K-5 512

Horizon On the Hudson

South Middle School Middle School 729

Central Kitchen Satellite Schools Population Density Intervention Area Truck Route

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Newburgh Siteplan


Satellite Schools Stakeholders: National Funding USDA National School Lunch Program

Central School Kitchen

State Funding USDA Farm to School Grant Program (At Least 51% Produce Within State)

Stakeholders: National Funding USDA National School Lunch Program State Funding USDA Farm to School Grant Program (At Least 51% Prodoce within State) Earth Institute Columbia Univeristy Hudson Valley Foof Hub Initiative

Local Farms Stakeholders: Local NGO For Farmers Hudson Valley Young Farmers Coalition USDA Intitiative to Provide Fundings Know Your Farmer

Market

Kitchen

Cornell Co-op extention Orange County to develop the kitchen Local partistioners to help Employment for the Community Orange County Economic Development

Communal Dining SNAP benefits for the community to buy food

Educational Garden

Children Students during school time

Downning Park Planning Committee

Calvary Presbyterian Church USDA Farmers Market Local Food Promotion

Community during Holidays - CACFP USDA Summer Food Service Programs (State Level)

GARDENING

System Reconstruction - Program Diagram


Learning Garden

Community Garden Grocery Market

Green Roof Green Roof

Unloading Area

Community Garden

Drive-Through Market

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Learning Garden

Site Axon


Health Library Central Location

Market/Garden Welcome Center Multifunctional Dining Hall Walkin Storage Satellite Module

Satellite Module

Satellite Module

Community Dining

K-5 Dining

Corridor Learning Garden

Food Lab

Entrance

Dining Space Central Kitchen Learning Garden Wet Storage Packaging Space Community Circulation Student Circulation Truck Circulation

Exploded Axon


Multifunctional Dining Hall

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Drive-through Market


GARDENING

training training

Dining Grocery Pickup Educational Gardening Culinary Training Weekend Program

Seasonal Diagram


Student Dining in the Afternoon

Market/Garden

Multifunctional Dining Hall

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Roof Garden


Community Dining at Night

Kitchen

5-K Dining Hall Corridor

Learning Garden

Entrance


Unloading Area

Grocery Market Learning Garden

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Site Axon


Central Location

Satellite Module

Satellite Module

Satellite Module

Entrance Greenhouse

Food Lab

Walkin Storage

Dining Dining

Learning Garden Entrance

Dining Space Central Kitchen Learning Garden Community Circulation Student Circulation Truck Circulation

Exploded Axon


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Exterior Rendering


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Kaleidoscope Beauty Inside the Vessel


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KALEIDOSCOPE Commercial Interiors Project

Site Midtown East, New York City, NY. Status Built Teammates Katy Rafferty, Chris Guteris, Luis Reveira, Erik Lundberg, and Katie Timmerman

This space is a functional meeting and event space in midtown east, the program includes a large meeting room and several spaces for breakouts and dining, making it perfect for conferences, trainings, and exhibitions. Building tenants are able to enjoy workplace cafÊ and outdoor terrace for relaxed work. The building is a typical New York international style building. With a steel and glass façade, it is situated among multiple buildings of the same style and construction methods. For this reason, it is important to differentiate the commercial interiors experience, taking something of the ordinary and elevating it to something extraordinary. In 2016, the historic building was upgraded

and he building lobby and introduced a kaleidoscope concept through the use of interactive art, mimicking the changing patterns inside of a kaleidoscope. Our team used this as an inspirational departure point to develop the concept of beauty within. The kaleidoscope is a plain object at first sight, however, when in use the viewer is immersed in the beauty that is contained, transforming an ordinary shape into an intricate abstraction of its original form. The design team utilized the color, form and light to inform the design elements of this project. The construction plans and the details were developed alongside the development of the design, the project was opened in April 2019.


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Common Space


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Construction Plan


Progression through color

Progression through light

Progression through form

Concept Diagrams


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Hub Meeting Room


Forum Meeting Hall


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Reflected Ceiling Plan


4 7/8”

1’-7” Underside of structure above Metal runner channel anchored to slab

Framing/Fire blocking or mineral wool as required between studs to enclose top of cavity

Provide blocking as required. Verify size and requirements on field. 4 7/8” Underside of structure above Wall partition as scheduled

2 1/2”

Curtain track with drapery

5” MIN VIF

Roller shade in existing pocket as scheduled

7”

3”

Ceiling as scheduled framing and blocking as required

Roller shade in existing pocket as scheduled

Finish ceiling as scheduled Opening at top of fascia for air return at fill perimeter of soffit Corner bead typical Sloped ceiling in boardroom Light fixture scheduled

GYP board ceiling, see RCPs for height, framing & blocking as required Slot diffuser as scheduled

Ceiling Details


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Reception and Gallery


Common Open Space


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Finish Plan


Finish Pallet

PANTON E, GINGER BRE

PANTON ETOASTED NUT

PANTON E, COR

A PANTON E, MUTED LAY


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Communal Kitchen


Governance Structure

Shared Income

Agreement of Unity

Agriculture as a Practice

Family Connections

Ecological Services

Under Maintained

Strong Social Network Under Utilized

Aird

Peacock Park Development Pressure Uneven Work/ Resident Population

Low Quality Products

Lack of Infrastructure

Informal Housing

Low Income Need for Basic Services

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Need for Clean Water

No Ownership of Land

Strengths and Fragilities


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RECIPRO(CITY) Urban Design Studio III

Site Peacock Park, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Professors Kate Orff, Geeta Mehta, Thad Pawlowski, Julia Watson, Adriana Chavez, Dilip Da Cunha, Lee Altman, and Fitse Gelaye Teammates Mary Allen, Nikita Kumar, and Anai Perez

This studio examined regional histories and learned about future resilience and adaptation strategies to develop a productive critique and offer Addis Ababa specific proposals that will advance its resilience. The goal is to link social, economic, and environmental prerogatives along a transect of transformation and project alternative futures of the city. Underlying all of the work is a focus on the power of water to shape equitable cities of the future. Peacock Park is a unique prominent site in the heart of Addis Ababa. The site is home to the Kebena Bulbula Farmers cooperative that currently practices large scale urban agriculture. This site is defined by its relationship between two rivers, which allows the coop to actively work the land, producing agriculture in a symbiotic system with the ever changing river.

Learning from this unique site, the redevelopment of Addis Ababa’s rivers should not be that of a large scale infrastructural project but rather through a smaller more localized system. Addis has the potential to achieve its goal of becoming a world class city not through imported models, but by learning from the legacy of what currently exists. Structures, such as this cooperative, are a legacy worth preserving. By using cooperatives as a unit of change, a variety of co beneficial relationships can be formed between the government, the residents, the land, and its rivers, overall engaging a symbiotic relationship of reciprocity. This system allows the cooperative to enter into a new relationship, one where they share a variety of benefits, and becoming a more powerful actor.


Road and River Threshold

Field and Park Threshold

River and Field Threshold

Existing Site and Location of Interventions

Growing Habitation

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Working Landscapes

The Living River

Expansion and Weaving Into the City


Housing Cooperatives Multimodal Transportation Corridor Commercial Corridor

Public Gathering Space

Public Waterfront Access River Stewards

Woven Working Landscape

Agricultural Production Rotating Public Space Ecological Services Irrigation System

Gradient of Plantings for Water Filtration Non-Edible Crops Edible Crops

Bioremediation Holding Pond Permanent River Dam

Program Catalog


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Growing Habitation Site


Growing Habitation Housing Structure

Kebele

Condos

Coop Control of Space

Pool ‘Resources’ to buy: - Some Cash - Stewardship Credits - Education Credits

Family Network from the Cooperative

Government Built Housing

1. Establish Grid -Three by two plots per coop -Four to five households/family groups per coop

2. Plot Division -Two plots for housing -Two plots for future commercial space -Two plots for dedicated common space

3. Government Built Housing -Housing structure built by the government -Other four plots to be democratically built by the coop

Cooperative Housing Structure


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Growing Habitation Moment


River Stewardship

Incremental Housing

Economic Corridor

Program Diagrams


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The Living River Site


Absorption and Filtration

Increased in Biodiversity

River Stewards

Productive Canopy

System Diagram Ecological Services


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Working Landscapes Site


Kebena River

Agriculture Land

Peacock Park

Agriculture Land

Bantiketu River

Kebena River

Rotational Space

Peacock Park

Rotational Space

Bantiketu River

Shrubs Sesban

Kebena River

Edible Crops

Rotational Space

Koba Ensete

Acacia Decurrens

Peacock Park

Koba Ensete

Rotational Space

Shembeko: Bamboo

Bantiketu River

Weaving Multi-canopy Structure


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Working Landscapes Moment


+

+

+ +

= +

Forming Rotational Spaces


Resilient Redevelopment

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Activation of Public Realm

Project Goals


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(PRE + PRO) RE-DEVELOPMENT Urban Design Studio I

Site Jersey City, New Jersey, NJ. Professors Tricia Martin, Nans Voron, Hayley Eber, Sagi Golan, Quilian Riano, Austin Sakong, and Shin-pei Tsay. Teammates Alvi Rahman Khan and Kunal Mokasdar

Today, Jersey City has 33 percent of its area under redevelopment. This gives us the chance to reimagine the city and the way we construct it. The city is growing, and its growth is at a rapid pace. It’s accommodating more and more people, optimizing the available floor area. Multiple sites in Jersey City are marked as redevelopment zones by the city’s planning department The majority of the redevelopment clusters are concentrated around Jersey City’s Downtown, Journal

Square, and Newport waterfront. We are proposing a set of strategies addressing this development. This set of guidelines overlays sectionally on the existing planar zoning, encouraging and supporting resiliency on new development throughout the current and future floodplains and introducing resilient temporary programs in the ground level. The programs are driven by the needs of the users to improve the current streetscape. Through these strategies, we hope to achieve resilient built forms with inclusive public spaces.


30% Redevelopment Zone

65% Increase in Population

50% Vulnerable Areas

Public Transit Redevelopment Zone Green space Underutilized Green Space

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Jersey City Site Map


Tool

+ Stormwater Management

Percolation Pit

++ Increase Permeability

Ground Modulation

Temporary Programs

Public Space Network

Interactive Streetscape

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+ Tax Incentives

Opening Up the Ground Floor

Programing

Tools and Techniques


100 Year Flood Plane Underutilized Green Space

Railway

Holland Tunnel

50 Year Flood Plane

Redevelopment Zone Hamilton Park 10 Year Flood Plane

Historical District

Developed Area

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Site Axon


Light Rail Jersey Avenue

NJ Transit Martin Boulevard

Redevelopment Site

Site A Lackwana Terminus

Redevelopment Site

16th Street

18th Street

Grove Street

Martin Boulevard

Site B

Palisade

NJ Transit Redevelopment Site

Site C Existing Conditions


Permissible Height

Water Collection Area Low Point

Pocket Park

High Point Rehabilitation Space Low Point

Permissible Height

High Point Rain Garden

Pocket Park Water Management Tank

Controlled Vegetation

Recreational Space

High Point Public Park/Farm

Permissible Height Stepped Framing Low Point

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Public Market


Additional Density Roof Garden

Extension to Streetscape

Vacated Ground Floor

Flood Resilient Programs

Roof Garden

Additional Density

Flood Resilient Programs Extension to Streetscape Vacated Ground Floor

Additional Density Roof Garden Vacated Ground Floor

Extension to Streetscape Flood Resilient Programs

Iterative Development


Permissible Height

Roof Garden Public Park/Farm

Flood Resilient Programs

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Additional Density

Roof Garden

Vacated Ground Floor Public Open Space

Extension to Streetscape

Rain-Shine Scenario


Wood

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Steel Structure

Bench Assembly


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YMCA STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENT Architecture/Fabrication Studio Site Hyde Park, Massachusetts. Professors Robert Trumbour Teammates Drew Conserva, Silvia Colpani, Thomas Darr, Lindsay Dumont, Stefanus Edo, Carla Gautier, Chad Leroche, and Keyanna Phillips

Since the start of the new century and with increased momentum over the last decade, architects have actively engaged the act of making within both practice and academia. Although the causes of this shift are many, three of the main reasons are the proliferation of digital fabrication tools, the rise in computational methods, and an obsession with the properties and behaviors of materials. Situated between the scales of furniture and architecture, this design problem is modest in theory but complex in execution. The design explored the scale of the body, modalities of movement and rest, and fundamental social and contemplative states of being. The modus operandi

was applied research and thinking through making, and the primary scale was one to one. The prototype served as the primary mode of inquiry supported by a full range of digital tools and hands on fabrication. Working with Wentworth’s Center for Community and Learning Partnerships and the Hyde Park YMCA, this studio explored existing site conditions and current client aspirations to improve the entry of their recently constructed facilities. As part of a team of twelve students, I designed, poured concrete blocks, cut mahogany surfaces using a CNC mill and installed state-of-the-art benches for the Thomas Menino YMCA in Hyde Park.


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Siteplan


1. Linear Zone: The seating in this area is arranged for productive individual use.

2. Hybrid Zone: The layout in this space is such that it can be used both for conversation and productivity.

3. Circular Zone: The seating arrangement in this zone allows for it to be a conversational space.

Layout Diagram


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Project Photo


Wood Mold

Pivot Edge

Foam Insert

Concrete Block

Concrete Method of Making


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Daytime Rendering


Mortar Channels Mounting Embeds

Insert Type

Wood

Metal Support

Level with Pavers

Paver

Concrete

Bench Assembly


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Project Photo

Installation Process


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Night Perspective


Watch the Animation Here: https://bit.ly/2SQsezn

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Booming Commercial Street Scene


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COTTON KINGDOM History and Theory Seminar

Site Claiborne, Monroe County, AL Professor Sara Zewde Teammate Hugo Bovea Garcia

In 1852, the New York Daily Times commissioned the thirty one year old Frederick Law Olmsted to conduct an immersive research journey through the Southern slave states. The country was headed toward civil war, and the paper dispatched young Olmsted for his ability to reveal the cultural and environmental qualities of landscape in a narrative voice. Today, landscape architecture, urban design, and planning—disciplines Olmsted helped to shape—

continue to grapple with the economic, political, and ecological conditions rooted in systems he documented so vividly 165 years ago. This seminar investigated the relationship between major contemporary issues in urban discourses with the documented conditions of cities in Olmsted’s 1861 book, Journeys and Explorations in the Cotton Kingdom. Also, it positions Olmsted’s journey not only as source material, but also as methodological proposition, in reflection on the significance and methods of research and representation in design practice.


1830s - “Cotton is the King” Cotton Region (Black Belt) Soil Fertility

-+

Geological Layers

High influence in soil fertility

Topography

1860s - Civil War

Hydrology

The Civil War was one of the main drivers in Claiborne’s downturn, and the abolition of slavery severely altered the cotton economy, leaving plantions without labor workers, which resulted in an economic recession for the city.

Ideal Conditions for Cotton Crops

1860s - Civil War Area Lost by Confederacy 1863 1864 1865 Battlefields of Alabama

1862 - Railroads Act

In addition to that, the construction of the Louisville and Nashville Railroads bypassed the town on both sides of the Alabama River, which, combined with the previous events, caused a dramatic decline in its population.

1862 - Railroads Act Louisville and Nashville Railroads

Bypassed Claiborne on both sides of the Alabama River

1865 - Slavery Abolished Cotton economy severely affected by lack of labor

1873 - Yellow Fever Outbreak Counties severely affected by the Yellow Fever Outbreak

Claiborne’s population decreased to 350 people and continued to decline

1880s - Claiborne Ghost Town

Today, Claiborne is largely abandoned but the area is still surrounded by cotton plantations due to the industrialization of cotton in the 1950s. Some of the issues inherited from the antebellum rural Alabama, such as social inequality and major public health problems, still persist up until today.

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1880s - Claiborne Ghost Town 2020 - Rural Alabama

Severe health issues Lack of infrastructure


Cotton Region (Black Belt)

Bell’s Landing Claiborne Alabama River Mobile

Cotton Kingdom, Then & Now


Claiborne Alabama:

Claiborne became one of two major shipping points in Monroe County because it provided access to staple and luxury goods from Mobile for nearby cities and towns. As a sign of Claiborne's importance to the cotton trade in Alabama, William Locklin constructed Alabama's first Eli Whitney-designed cotton gin in 1817 in Claiborne. When Frederick Law Olmsted visited Claiborne, he was impressed by the dynamic town and its relationship to the river. Also a specific scene of how the slaves were exporting the cotton by throwing it down an incline without affecting their value to the platation owner and how less of a value of the free Irish men have.

Cotton Journey

Bell’s Landing was a major shipping point that provided access the Alabama Rive providing the area with nesseccary products.

Plantations

Bell’s Landing Alabama’s Major Shipping Points Claiborne Alabama was an important shipping port for cotton and trading center throughout the 1850s.

Claiborne

Alabama River

Mobile (Port of entry - exit)

Gulf of Mexico

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Alabama River is formed by the Tallapoosa and Coosa rivers, which unite about 6 miles north of Montgomery.

The Mobile Port was a significant entery point to the Alabama river from the Gulf of Mexico.


Cotton Incline, slaves would drop the cotton bails from the top to be received by Irish men at the bottom.

Movement of Steamboats was sign of Claiborne's importance to the cotton trade in Alabama, ships would travel to Claiborne.

Fort Claiborne was worked by the Irish men who would receive the cotton bails by slaves and load it on the ships.

Visual Literary Analysis


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Documentation of Different Fabrics


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READING NEW YORK URBANISM Urbanism and Videography Seminar Site Hoboken, New Jersey. Professors Cassim Shepard and Jesse Hirakawa Teammates Nikita Kumar and Sophie Lee

Reading New York Urbanism is a seminar that introduces urban design students to New York City as a laboratory of historical experiments in both designing and understanding the urban environment. The goal of the seminar is to arm students with the observational and representational tools to be able to “read” the city and the multiple forces that influence its physical form and social experience and to represent these forces through documentary video.

The class explores specific places throughout three districts: Jersey City/Hoboken, NJ; Long Island City, Queens; and Sunset Park, Brooklyn to analyze how different actors—writers, artists, designers, real estate developers, government agencies—have interpreted, represented, or intervened in these sites over time. We have focused on Garden Street Farmers Market in Hoboken to document and understand how open public space can act as a community gathering area.


COME-unity: Rethinking the Urban Square, is a short documentary that talks about Garden Street Farmers Market and how activates an urban square. Watch COME-unity the full short video at this link. https://bit.ly/35NRnQQ 80

Garden Street Farmers Market


Im Dylan from Brooklyn, NY.

Im Evan from Jersey City, NJ.

Im Samantha from Hoboken, NJ.

Im Connor from Long Island, NY.

Community and Products Diagram


Garden Street Farmers Market 14th St & Garden St, Hoboken, NJ Saturdays 9AM-2PM Jun - Dec Is that cheese can we try some?

Its oatmeal try it!

Picking up veggies?

Im into healthy holistic eating so I love coming here, everything is local and fresh.

I like how this market fosters community gatherings and supports local businesses

The market is the market because of the people, this area comes to life on saturdays.

Its a hot day but people are still coming to around to pick-up their supplies for the rest of the week and to enjoy some chilled natural drinks.

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Our oatmeal is locally sourced we work with a local farm, very dellious and healthy.

Sit down the show is starting soon..

Sustainability to this community is to eat locally, eating closely to where food is grown and to be able to see and try the food encourages the area to be more environmentally friendly.

Lets support local farmers

Successful day! Cant wait to come back and sell more pickles.

The plaza is usually unused during the week but the residents are happy use this space as a resource on weekends.

Comic Strip of COME-unity


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I’m part of the dirt... I’m part of the water... I’m part of the air...

This work is dedicated to our planet earth, may we all design concisely for better environment.


moneerah.alajaji@columbia.edu

AlKhufaisa, AlRabwa, Unit 7215, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

+966 55 582 3302


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