Media Technology and City Design and Development, MIT OpenCourseWare (OCW)

Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
77 Massachusetts Avenue,
Cambridge, MA 02139-4307,

Course Description,
This class is one of the earliest studios at MIT to carry on the work of the West Philadelphia Landscape Project started at the University of Pennsylvania. It contains a full description of the project in the syllabus, and examples of the student work in the projects section.

This workshop explores the potential of media technology and the Internet to enhance communication and transform city design and community development in inner-city neighborhoods. The class introduces a variety of methods for describing or representing a place and its residents, for simulating actions and changes, for presenting visions of the future, and for engaging multiple actors in the process of envisioning change and guiding action. Students will engage two neighborhoods: the Mill Creek neighborhood of West Philadelphia, PA, and the Brightwood/Northend neighborhood of Springfield, MA. Students will meet real people working on real projects, put theory into practice, and reflect on insights gained in the process. Our hope is that student work will contribute to new initiatives in both communities.