QMA's Corona's Plaza project will involve the community at Corona Plaza

Image source: Prerana Reddy

There is a new pedestrian plaza currently under construction in Corona (GMAP – the above photo was taken on 8/20/12), and it has inspired an ambitious community-oriented project fittingly called Corona’s Plaza. This project was commissioned by the Queens Museum of Art and is spearheaded by Colombian-born architect Quilian Riano and city planner Aurash Khawarzad. Cooperating and engaging with the local community, they plan to develop temporary installations and programs in this location, with the goal to create a new kind of public space, right here in Corona.

Image source: Corona’s Plaza

In determining the long-term development of the site, the Corona’s Plaza project has outlined a three-step process that will involve the community at every level, throughout the life of the project. When an issue arises, the organizers plan to “research and identify” said issue and the reason(s) behind it that affects the community; “design and make” interventions in Corona Plaza that will improve public discourse and the functionality of the public space; and “document and analyze” the outcome of these conversations and interventions in order to understand them and to solve future problems.

Apart from the above workshopping process, the hope is to eventually move on to participating in “citizen journalism, skill-sharing, and other elements that foster thoughtful public involvement, activism, and analysis.” If you are interested in participating in any way, contact the organizers here.