Anna Lim - No Nation Embassy

ARTIFICIAL ROOFSCAPE OVERLOOKING CENTRAL PARK, NEW YORK CITY //

Project Partner: Danny Ortega Instructor: Simon Kim Teaching Assistant: Megan York

Published in Pressing Matters X

Seneca Village was a thriving community along what is now the western edge of Central Park. It was a group of properties owned largely by African Americans and had become a refuge for many, until it was destroyed for the creation of Central Park in 1857. Years later, and almost left forgotten, The New York Herald in 1871 reported the discovery of a body of an African American at a recent construction at a park entrance and denied the existence of Seneca Village with public authorities. Understanding this reality, It is our hope that the No Nation Embassy will act as a tribute towards the broken history of Seneca Village. With the ideology of anti-empiricism, this remake of Seneca Village accepts all as citizens with equal rights through a micro-urbanism of architectural characters united by a common roof.

One major group of individuals who do not have access to all public amenities are immigrants, undocumented immigrants, and refugees. Today, undocumented immigrants and refugees receive several benefits given to them by the United States. However, there are other resources that are not as accessible such as healthcare, housing, jobs with upward mobility, and of course, US citizenship. In many cases, gaining access to these resources is a matter of having good legal representation and being informed of the process in a language that you can understand. Therefore, No Nation Embassy will be a safehouse offering representation and refuge for people of all backgrounds, cultures, and faiths.