You Are Here exhibition opening at the Queens Museum on April 12, 2015

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

What good is a park or public space if you can’t find your way into it? While Flushing Meadows Corona Park is one of the most diverse and heavily used parks in NYC, it’s also known to be hard to find and easy to lose one’s way in. We've joined forces with the NYC Parks and the Queens Museum to engage the local community in improving access, circulation, and connectivity in Flushing Meadows Corona Park.

Council Member Julissa Ferreras was among the influential New Yorkers on hand as the Queen Museum unveiled You Are Here: Creating a New Approach to Civic Participation in the World’s Park on April 12. A huge thanks to our community advisors, project fellows and partners, for putting together this exhibition, and all the public space enthusiasts who were there to support and engage with new ideas. 

Twenty-three community advisors, supported and led by the Design Trust fellows team, the NYC Parks administrators, and the Queens Museum, have developed ideas in a four-months-long rigorous collaboration.

The resulting design concepts on view include information kiosks, art installations, wayfinding landmarks, and play areas for children with special needs. The concepts target improving the connectivity between Flushing Meadows Corona Park and the neighboring communities, focusing on the access points and circulation patterns within and around the park. Check out the slideshow below to see each design.

At the end of the opening event, Ivan Acosta, Legislative and Budget Director at Council Member Ferreras' office, presented each community advisor with a certificate of achievement for participating in our four-months-long Community Design School.

You Are Here will be on view through May 3. Stay tuned for next steps, as the community team works to realize enhancements to the park.

Check out what press has to say about this community engagement project, including NY1, Queens Courier, Untapped Cities, and more.

Learn more about the World's Park project.

For people who don’t feel very included in city life, like our newest New Yorkers, this park can be an opportunity for integration and to feel ownership over something.

Maria Julia Echart, Community advisor for the World's Park project

Photos (27)

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Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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Visitors looking at some of the Community Advisors' proposals at the You Are Here exhibition

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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One of the team's proposals, "ARTrences" at theYou Are Here exhibition

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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The project timeline at theYou Are Here exhibition

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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ARTtrances: Artistic entrances that reflect surrounding communities

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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ARTtrances: Artistic entrances that reflect surrounding communities

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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ARTtrances: Artistic entrances that reflect surrounding communities

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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Breadcrumb wayfinding

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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Breadcrumb wayfinding

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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Cultural kiosk

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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In Search of Something Special: A play area for all children

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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In Search of Something Special: A play area for all children

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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You Are Here exhibition

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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Design Trust Fellow José Serrano-McClain introduces the project and the You Are Here exhibition at the opening 

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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NYC Council Member Julissa Ferreras at the opening of the exhibition

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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Flushing Meadows Corona Park Administrator Janice Melnick

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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Queens Museum director Laura Raicovich, Design Trust's Susan Chin, and community advisors listening to the presentation by the project team. 

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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Sam Holleran, Participatory Design Fellow for The World's Park project, presenting the project at the exhibition opening. 

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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Sarah Lidgus, Design Education Fellow, presenting the project to the public at the exhibition opening. 

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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Anandi Premlall, one of the Community Advisors for the project.

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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David Burney, Susan Chin

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Feedback session with Larry Rosenbloom, Community Advisor

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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Feedback session with Jason Chin-Fatt, Community Advisor

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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The public providing feedback to the community advisors on their proposals for the park at the opening of the You Are Here exhibition at the Queens Museum. 

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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Feedback session with community advisors with Alba Preciado and Libertad Sanchez

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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Community members adding their written feedback to the bulletin board 

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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Fellow Jose Serrano-McClain gives a toast to the Community Advisors at the exhibition opening

Photo: William Michael Fredericks

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Ivan Acosta, the Office of Council Member Julissa Ferreras

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