Autonomous Urbanism: the Exhibition

Based on the recently published book monograph of the same name, Autonomous Urbanism: Towards a New Transitopia is an exhibition that explores the latent and transformative impact autonomous vehicles will have on the urban and spatial future of cities. The exhibition builds on the research established by the book, which lays the groundwork for the arrival of driverless vehicles through a discussion of our recent urban transportation history, its effect on the evolution of our built environments, and the transportation paradigms that impact current trajectories of mobility technology innovation.

This framework sets up the exhibition to feature the research’s design-oriented components through physical models, transportation maps, and narrative storytelling. The first part of the exhibition explores the speculative urban spatial implications that automated mobility will have on the design of cities, through multi-scalar typological models and transportation network drawings. The second part illustrates the day-in-the-life experience of moving around in this future city through the unique narrative format of an architectural graphic novel. Altogether, the exhibition acts as a toolkit for a range of stakeholders—architects, urban designers, planners, and the everyday citizen—who can impact a driverless revolution. It challenges them to consider how design actions and behavioral choices can shape urban space and the experiences they engender, in order to ensure that the public realm of our cities is protected and well-served as these driverless futures unfold.

Exhibition curator and book author Assistant Professor Evan Shieh will open the exhibition with a lecture, followed by a Q&A and reception with food and drinks, on Friday, February 7, from 12:30 – 2 p.m. in the Education Hall Gallery, School of Architecture and Design, on the Long Island campus. The exhibit closes on April 18.

Introduction

Maria Perbellini

Dean of The School of Architecture and Design

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Moderation

Dongsei Kim

Associate Professor and Department Chair

School of Architecture and Design

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Speaker

Evan Shieh

Teaching Assistant Professor

School of Architecture and Design

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Event Credits

• Exhibition Curator: Evan Shieh (Assistant Professor of Architecture)

• Exhibition Design Team: Carolina Flores-Iglesias, Elise Park, Juan Ramirez, Kendal Eastwood, Melanny Rodriguez, Natalia Orellana (B.Arch ’25)

• Exhibition Construction Team: Carolina Flores-Iglesias, Elise Park, Juan Ramirez, Kaleigh Trentadue, Kendal Eastwood, Lily Kljyan, Melanny Rodriguez (B.Arch ’25), Emily Galofaro, Sharon Cunningham, Yedeida Kariyev (B.Arch ’26), Yiki Dingmeng Liu (BFA.Arch ’25)

• Fabrication Consultants & Support: Brian Polgar, Elijah Williams, and the NYIT Fabrication Lab Team; Jeff Yinong Tao (Bjarke Ingels Group)

This exhibition was made possible thanks to the funding and support provided by the Dean’s office at the School of Architecture & Design and by Dean Maria Perbellini, and from the support of the Lectures & Events Committee and committee chair Athina Papadopoulou