CUNY STEM Institute at City College presented their City of the Future

On December 7th, 2021, middle school students from CUNY STEM Institute at City College presented their “City of the Future” and completed the DDC Young Engineers Program virtually. The students learned the fundamentals of environmentally responsible city planning. Employing the STEAM “Building the Future” curricula, CUNY STEM Institute students learned concepts such as the structural characteristics of 3D shapes, bridge engineering, constructing with I-beams, creating building models and sustainable technologies such as bioswales, tower gardens and green roofs. Students created their model “City of the Future” using those concepts.

The students shared what they had learned about sustainability and resiliency in construction, bridges, green roof technology and the building of a city structure. They also shared their thoughts and experiences while learning about the architecture, construction, and engineering fields. Each student created a model of their representation of a future city using green infrastructure and technologies they were introduced to during the program. They were able to understand how each of the green infrastructure techniques created an eco-friendly environment and how these techniques help a city be sustainable and resilient.

“The Young Engineers Program exposes students to technical career opportunities they may not have considered before. Through this program we aim to expand their horizons, and open their minds to a world of possibilities, and the process maybe change their lives,” said Lee Llambelis, DDC Deputy Commissioner for Community Partnerships and STEAM Initiatives.

Mahlaney Wilson, Activity Specialist at MS 394, stated, “I enjoyed learning alongside the children and watching their curiosity grow and expand to noticing examples of the many different structures we talked about! The DDC curricula makes this information fun and accessible to students and adults alike.”

Allison James, Director of Strategic Initiatives at CUNY STEM Initiatives at City College, stated, “Our partnership with Young Engineers inspires STEM Institute scholars to reimagine the future of engineering and the endless opportunities afforded to those passionate about STEM careers.”

Two middle school scholars, Adrian and Mohammed, explained their final projects. Adrian created a Future Library. He explained his layout which spread out over four floors; a floor plan, a bubble diagram, and a lobby perspective drawing to illustrate his future city library.

“I chose a cylinder because a round building is cheaper to build and it take less energy to heat and cool and provides for better air flow, which makes it better for the environment overall,” said Adrian.

Mohammed created floor plans and included solar panels to add green technology. He stated: “We have this huge future city, and we needed an educational campus so I thought I would build a STEAM High School.”

The students also noted that the exercise provided them an opportunity to make decisions about the choice of building materials and design techniques to implement, as well as how to best incorporate green technology into their structures. The future city model was a collaborative effort. Their combined model included a skyscraper, a building with a green roof, a solar powered home, a fountain, and a billboard.

It was clear that the students learned to think like engineers. They identified the problems, they investigated, they imagined, and they created. They also tested their designs and communicated their findings to a virtual audience. The students were also eager to continue to develop the city they named “Green Power City” to add additional skyscrapers and homes with green technology and sustainable power sources.

Watch the showcase presentation here. The STEAM Showcase starts at 43:02.

About the NYC Department of Design and Construction

The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor de Blasio’s long-term vision of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, and new or upgraded roads, sewers and water mains in all five boroughs. To manage this $15.5 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other City agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative and environmentally-conscious design and construction strategies to City projects. For more information, please visit nyc.gov/ddc