Designing a Brighter Future: Countering Asian Hate through Innovative Solutions

Background：Asian Americans, 7% of the U.S. population, face ongoing hate crimes amid anti-Asian violence and rising anti-Chinese rhetoric. The Asian American community is integral to the urban fabric and deserves a safe and inclusive environment.

Strategy：The project is situated in Manhattan's Chinatown, New York. We've identified and analyzed three high-crime areas there. Drawing upon Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles, We developed a landscape design framework that involves identifying crime hotspots, creating structures, analyzing space, and modifying public spaces, and we have developed ten practical strategies for public spaces like plazas, streets, and parks, accompanied by guiding procedures.

Application：We used CPTED principles in an Asian community, which goes beyond traditional crime prevention methods by incorporating street vendors as a tool for crime reduction. This project utilized existing social capital and informal networks between small vendors, community members, and local authorities to implement and sustain security measures. This project aims to create a scalable security model for urban settings and share it with similar communities.