I spent the summer of 2024 in New York City as a design intern in the World Trade Center Department of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

My contributions spanned a range of urban design and placemaking projects, finding creative ways to re-activate exisiting infrastructure to better serve the public.

Some highlights are showcased here.

Jump to: bollard bench | plaza placemaking | flagpole furniture

The World Trade Center site is surrounded by hundreds of security bollards, lining every sidewalk and road.

From delivery drivers to tourist families, each visitor has different needs and desires of the site. I conducted observational field research and was struck by the creativity and ingenuity of the public's solutions for these simple bollards.

How can these informal interactions with public space become the foundation for an intervention that enhances the functionality of the infrastructure? Based on these insights, I began by creating a series of divergent iterations to get a sense of what approach I wanted to take.

Then, I narrowed in on one design concept and developed dozens of aesthetic and functional variations. I created prototypes with paper, which helped assess the stability and feel of each design.

Incorporating feedback from the Security, Operations, Customer Experience, and Planning teams, I refined this custom multi-functional bench & table with a delicate structural system that aligns with the existing modern and sleek aesthetic of the site while adhering to security requirements.

Finally, I developed a set of fabrication drawings which were sent to a contractor to eventually prototype!

How might we transform an underused strip of asphalt in the corner of the World Trade Center site into a vibrant, inclusive public space?

I measured and modeled the existing conditions of the site in Rhino, which I then used to develop conceptual renders of how the site could be activated.

I also designed a modular shade system which built on existing concrete block infrastructure, and collaborated with

These visuals were presented to internal and external stakeholders to communicate our team's vision for the site. As a result, stakeholders voiced their support and one even offered to donate the cornhole set.

I designed a functional and comfortable linear bench set. These benches feature modular attachments for adaptive functionality.

The benches are designed to be mounted to the existing white concrete blocks, of which there are several dozen around the site, taking inspiration from bench designed onsite earlier that year.