Watch the launch of the Design Trust For Public Space's 12th Request for Proposals at the Whitney, featuring an interdisciplinary Climate Week NYC conversation about the art, science, and politics of water, and its impact on NYC, and a first-look at how to apply for the RFP.
As New Yorkers face record-breaking rainfall mixed with historic heat waves, the future of the city’s public life imminently depends on shifting our relationship with water in all its various forms—rain, oceans, and rivers—and the multiple ways we engage with it—infrastructure, art, play, drinking, and sewage.
To inspire new approaches to water in New York City, Design Trust for Public Space has opened “Water: Designing an Equitable Water Future for NYC,” their twelfth open call for public space project ideas.
Watch the conversation to learn more! Questions about how to apply or if your project is a good fit? Join us for a info webinar session here.
Panelists in this video:
Angela Licata is Deputy Commissioner of Sustainability at the NYC Department of Environmental Protection, working at NYCDEP for over 20 years and leading on the management of NYC’s water supply and coastal resilience.
Eric Sanderson is the New York Botanical Garden Vice President for Urban Conservation Strategy, and the author of the best-selling book, Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York City. The Mannahatta Project, conducted over a decade, investigated the historical streams, ponds, springs, shores, hills, forests, and wildlife of Manhattan Island on the eve of Henry Hudson’s discovery in 1609.
Marina Zurkowis a media artist focused on near-impossible nature and culture intersections, and fostering intimate connections between humans, other species, and planetary agents. Her work spans gallery installations and unconventional public participatory projects and her exhibition Parting Worlds is on view at the Whitney
This talk is moderated by Design Trust for Public Space Executive Director Matthew Clarke and features a presentation by Daphne Lundi, an urban planner, climate policymaker, writer, and artist. She currently is the Managing Director of Urban Ocean Lab. Previously, Lundi served as Deputy Director at the NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, leading a team focused on shaping climate policies related to extreme heat mitigation, open space access, and transportation sustainability. Design Trust Director of Strategic Partnerships Elana Ehrenberg gives an overview of the RFP process.
The Design Trust for Public Space Water RFP is sponsored by Woodner Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, HKS, Arup, and Buro Happold. This event is proud to be part of the Climate Week NYC 2025 lineup.
This event was co-presented by Design Trust for Public Space and Whitney Museum of American Art.