Sharing Models: Manhattanisms

We are experiencing the emergence of a culture that is marked by a return to, redefinition, and expansion of the notion of the commons. The increasing complexity and interconnectedness of globalization is reorienting us away from trends that have emphasized individuation and singular development, and toward new forms of collectivity.   

Over the last decade, dramatic transformations have occurred in our cities. The sharing movement has been accompanied by emerging technologies and economies that have affected aspects of our everyday life, from the way we work and travel, to how we think about shelter and social engagement. How will the sharing movement of today affect the way we inhabit and build the cities of tomorrow?

Manhattan, one of the most dense and iconic places in the world, is a laboratory for many visions of urbanism. Sharing Models: Manhattanisms invites 30 international architects to produce models of their own visions for the city’s future.    The models, each a section of Manhattan, establish analytical, conceptual, and physical frameworks for inhabiting and constructing urban space and the public sphere. Together, they present a composite figure; a territory that is simultaneously fictional and real, and one that opens a window to new perceptions of the city’s shared assets.