Storefront Democracy
Student Project, 2010
Storefront Democracy is a response to the rapid population changes currently happening in many New York neighborhoods. How could we use a shared public space to engage a larger number of community members in the discussion about the future of that community?
Storefront Democracy makes visible the diverse perspectives on development that exist in a single neighborhood, while providing citizens with hooks into the existing processes and organizations that govern that development. A projected interface on a storefront window in a well-trafficked location invites community members to submit their input on issues coming before the local community board via text message. They also have the option to submit and vote on items to be considered during regular community meetings. Follow-up messages encourage them to increase their engagement by attending these meetings.
Storefront Democracy is a collaboration with Kristin Gräfe