How are cities divided?tHesis MidterM ProGress

JeNN MartiNs

idea exPloratioN: PecHakucHasThe first assignments we had were to create PechaKuchas (20 slides x 20 seconds each) about (1) ourselves, (2) creative processes, and (3) 20 possible thesis topics after this self exploration.

Jenn  Martins

designer

music/concert  

lover

“artist”

organizer/victim  

of  OCD

Paula Scher / Me / Compare & Contrast!

Jenn Martins  

TRAVELcollective design

20 tHesis ideas

TRAVELsocial media platform

TRAVELhelp resource

TRAVELtrack yourself + friends

TRAVELcollective design

TRAVELbackpacker forum

MUSICtour + release date program

TECHkids html program

TECHparsons coding tutoring

TECHstudent-to-student skills program

TECHobserve interaction with tech

TECHno social media

CREATIVEobserve creative processes

CREATIVEwork spaces

CULTUREcultural difference discussions

DESIGNdaily education

DESIGNmap of paths

CITYold + new

CITYlanguage differences in areas

POLITICSeasy-to-understand graphics

DESIRES“bucket-list” network

These are the ideas I thought I might want to develop for thesis. I came to these ideas using the observations I made about myself after the other two PechaKuchas and a self-reflection probe. The main areas were travel, music, technology, creative processes, culture, design, city, politics, and desires.

3 tHesis ideasI then narrowed my list of 20 thesis ideas to 3 categories and made a mind map for each. The 3 categories were travel, technology, and maps.

3 tHesis ideasAfter the first set of mind maps and an individual meeting with Jane, I narrowed my topics and made more specific, detailed mind maps.

1st researcH stateMeNt + researcH“I’m researching cultural and economic divisions in New York and analyzing why and how these divisions came to be to better understand how they interact with each other.”

I used this to begin my research and brainstorm ideas of maps that could be created illustrating the divisions in Manhattan.

2Nd (curreNt) researcH stateMeNtAfter doing some research, I rephrased and refocused my research statement.

“Using Manhattan as a case study, I’m researching how cities are divided, how these divisions came to be, and how the different pieces interact with each other. I’ll be looking mainly into cultural, ethnic and economic aspects.”

researcHA lot of the research I did involved maps. The image on the left is a map from the 1980’s illustrating how NYC is ethnically divided. The map on the right is from the NYC government site and shows how they currently divide the city into districts.

researcHThis is a map done by the New York Times which also separates NYC ethnically.

researcHThe Welikia/Mannahatta Project uses science to create images of how NYC appeared befored Hudson discovered it.

5x5 exPeriMeNt #1: drawN MaPsFor my first thesis-related experiment, I asked my thesis class to draw Manhattan and how they would divide it.

These are the different ways people mapped Manhattan:•neighborhoods and notable places (this was the only map to not include a

geographic map of the city—it was simply naming these different areas)•neighborhoods (both vertical and horizontal)•pointing out places that are significant (where they used to live, where friends live,

where they do and do not go, where they enjoy nature)•divisions by highways and roads•pointing out only locations (where celebrities live, where shows are filmed, where

certain schools or stores are)

Some interesting things I found:•geographical inaccuracies•generalizing entire neighborhoods (Inwood represented as being expensive and

distant, Wall Street is men in suits, cobblestoned streets, dollar signs)• realization that they don’t know certain areas of the city (question marks, saying

that they want to do something here but haven’t)

5x5 exPeriMeNt #1: drawN MaPs

5x5 exPeriMeNt #2: NeiGHborHood walksFor this experiment, I wanted to visit every Manhattan neighborhood in one day, which didn’t work out. I’ve spent 2 full days on this and only have a handful of neighborhoods left.

As I walked through Manhattan, I took photos and notes and filled out a chart. The chart was used to document which neighborhoods were primarily residential, retail, offices, etc. as well as my mood while in the neighborhood.

5x5 exPeriMeNt #2: NeiGHborHood walks

5x5 exPeriMeNt #3: NeiGHborHood MaP

INWOOD

FORT GEORGE

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS

HAMILTONHEIGHTS

HARLEM

MORNINGSIDEHEIGHTS

EASTHARLEM

UPPER WEST SIDE

LINCOLN SQUARE

CENTRALPARK

YORKVILLE

UPPER EAST SIDE

LENOXHILL

CLINTON

HELL’SKITCHEN

MIDTOWN

THEATERDISTRICT

GARMENTDISTRICT

MIDTOWNSOUTHCHELSEA

TURTLEBAY

MURRAY HILL

KIPS BAY

GRAM-ERCY PARK

SUTTON

BEEK-MAN

STUY TOWN

NO

HO

BO

WER

YM

EDIC

ALCI

TYTU

DO

R

ABC CITY

EAST VILLAGE

GREENWICH VILLAGE

WEST VILLAGE

SOHO LOWER EASTSIDETRIBECA

LITT

LE

ITALY

CIVIC CENTER

WHITE HALL

CHINATOWN

TWO BRIDGES

WALL STREET

BATTERY PARK CITY

MEATPACKINGDISTRICT

MANHATTANNEIGHBORHOODS

JENN MARTINS

45 Neighborhoods• Inwood• Fort George• Washington Heights• Hamilton Heights• Harlem• Morningside Heights• UWS• Lincoln Square• East Harlem• Yorkville• UES• Lenox Hill• Clinton• Hell’s Kitchen• Chelsea• Midtown• Midtown South• Theater District• Garment District• Turtle Bay• Murray Hill• Kips Bay

• Gramercy Park• Sutton• Beekman• Tudor• Medical City• Stuyvesant• Meatpacking District• West Village• Greenwich Village• NoHo• East Village• Alphabet City• SoHo• TriBeCa• Little Italy• Chinatown• Civic Center• Bowery• Lower East Side• Two Bridges• Battery Park City• Wall Street/Financial District• White Hall

For this experiment, I made myself a map of the neighborhoods I would be using throughout my thesis, as there are many different versions and variations.

INWOOD

FORT GEORGE

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS

HAMILTONHEIGHTS

HARLEM

MORNINGSIDEHEIGHTS

EASTHARLEM

UPPER WEST SIDE

LINCOLN SQUARE

CENTRALPARK

YORKVILLE

UPPER EAST SIDE

LENOXHILL

CLINTON

HELL’SKITCHEN

MIDTOWN

THEATERDISTRICT

GARMENTDISTRICT

MIDTOWNSOUTHCHELSEA

TURTLEBAY

MURRAY HILL

KIPS BAY

GRAM-ERCY PARK

SUTTON

BEEK-MAN

STUY TOWN

NO

HO

BO

WER

YM

EDIC

ALCI

TYTU

DO

R

ABC CITY

EAST VILLAGE

GREENWICH VILLAGE

WEST VILLAGE

SOHO LOWER EASTSIDETRIBECA

LITT

LE

ITALY

CIVIC CENTER

WHITE HALL

CHINATOWN

TWO BRIDGES

WALL STREET

BATTERY PARK CITY

MEATPACKINGDISTRICT

MANHATTANNEIGHBORHOODS

JENN MARTINS

INWOOD

FORT GEORGE

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS

HAMILTONHEIGHTS

HARLEM

MORNINGSIDEHEIGHTS

EASTHARLEM

UPPER WEST SIDE

LINCOLN SQUARE

CENTRALPARK

YORKVILLE

UPPER EAST SIDE

LENOXHILL

CLINTON

HELL’SKITCHEN

MIDTOWN

THEATERDISTRICT

GARMENTDISTRICT

MIDTOWNSOUTHCHELSEA

TURTLEBAY

MURRAY HILL

KIPS BAY

GRAM-ERCY PARK

SUTTON

BEEK-MAN

STUY TOWN

NO

HO

BO

WER

YM

EDIC

ALCI

TYTU

DO

R

ABC CITY

EAST VILLAGE

GREENWICH VILLAGE

WEST VILLAGE

SOHO LOWER EASTSIDETRIBECA

LITT

LE

ITALY

CIVIC CENTER

WHITE HALL

CHINATOWN

TWO BRIDGES

WALL STREET

BATTERY PARK CITY

MEATPACKINGDISTRICT

MANHATTANNEIGHBORHOODS

JENN MARTINS

5x5 exPeriMeNt #3: NeiGHborHood MaP

5x5 exPeriMeNt #4: coMMute MaP

INWOOD

FORT GEORGE

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS

HAMILTONHEIGHTS

HARLEM

MORNINGSIDEHEIGHTS

EASTHARLEM

UPPER WEST SIDE

LINCOLN SQUARE

CENTRALPARK

YORKVILLE

UPPER EAST SIDE

LENOXHILL

CLINTON

HELL’SKITCHEN

MIDTOWN

THEATERDISTRICT

GARMENTDISTRICT

MIDTOWNSOUTHCHELSEA

TURTLEBAY

MURRAY HILL

KIPS BAY

GRAM-ERCY PARK

SUTTON

BEEK-MAN

STUY TOWN

NO

HO

BO

WER

YM

EDIC

ALCI

TYTU

DO

R

ABC CITY

EAST VILLAGE

GREENWICH VILLAGE

WEST VILLAGE

SOHO LOWER EASTSIDETRIBECA

LITT

LE

ITALY

CIVIC CENTER

WHITE HALL

CHINATOWN

TWO BRIDGES

WALL STREET

BATTERY PARK CITY

MEATPACKINGDISTRICT

GREENWICH, CT

SUNSET, BK

TOTOWA, NJ

PROSPECT HEIGHTS, BK

RAVENSWOOD, QN

WEST HARRISON, NY

CLINTON HILL, BKBUSHWICK, BK

DUMBO, BK

DOBBS FERRY, NY

ASTORIA, QN

UNION SQ

TNS

TAXI

SUBWAY

TRAIN

BUS

BIKE

WALK

30 COMMUTERPATHS TO THENEW SCHOOLJENN MARTINS

I was interested in how people got to one place in their commutes, so I asked 30 people from Parsons (both professors and students) how they got to school. Very few paths overlapped.

INWOOD

FORT GEORGE

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS

HAMILTONHEIGHTS

HARLEM

MORNINGSIDEHEIGHTS

EASTHARLEM

UPPER WEST SIDE

LINCOLN SQUARE

CENTRALPARK

YORKVILLE

UPPER EAST SIDE

LENOXHILL

CLINTON

HELL’SKITCHEN

MIDTOWN

THEATERDISTRICT

GARMENTDISTRICT

MIDTOWNSOUTHCHELSEA

TURTLEBAY

MURRAY HILL

KIPS BAY

GRAM-ERCY PARK

SUTTON

BEEK-MAN

STUY TOWN

NO

HO

BO

WER

YM

EDIC

ALCI

TYTU

DO

RABC CITY

EAST VILLAGE

GREENWICH VILLAGE

WEST VILLAGE

SOHO LOWER EASTSIDETRIBECA

LITT

LE

ITALY

CIVIC CENTER

WHITE HALL

CHINATOWN

TWO BRIDGES

WALL STREET

BATTERY PARK CITY

MEATPACKINGDISTRICT

GREENWICH, CT

SUNSET, BK

TOTOWA, NJ

PROSPECT HEIGHTS, BK

RAVENSWOOD, QN

WEST HARRISON, NY

CLINTON HILL, BKBUSHWICK, BK

DUMBO, BK

DOBBS FERRY, NY

ASTORIA, QN

UNION SQ

TNS

TAXI

SUBWAY

TRAIN

BUS

BIKE

WALK

30 COMMUTERPATHS TO THENEW SCHOOLJENN MARTINS

5x5 exPeriMeNt #4: coMMute MaP

5x5 exPeriMeNt #5: 14tH st cross-sectioNMy fifth experiment was to examine a cross-section of Manhattan, independent of traditional divisions (grid/streets/neighborhoods). I chose 14th Street because it’s a street I am on often and am familiar with, and also because it is very populated and busy.

What I kid was walk from one end of the street to the other (East to West) and try to take in my surroundings. I usually walk around NY while listening to music on my iPod, but I made sure not to do that, so I could hear the sounds. What I found was that 14th Street is louder in the middle of the island near Union Square and quieter on the ends near the rivers. The street is primarily retail and then food/drink-related businesses. There are very few residential buildings and there is, of course, Union Square Park.

I didn’t take any photos while walking down 14 Street but when I got home, I created a rough panoramic image of the South side of the street.

tHesis bloG:JeNNMartiNs.tuMblr.coM