March 21 – March 25, 2025
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Learning Outcomes
The Mosaic Project will equip participants with the awareness and tools to view urban spaces through a cultural lens and contribute meaningfully to inclusive city-building efforts. Participants will be able to:
- Be able to recognize and articulate the connection between culture and urban design and its role in shaping behaviors, customs, and identity.
- Gain empathy and understanding for diverse cultural traditions and practices by engaging in experiential learning and design activities.
- Identify culturally-inspired design interventions to address societal issues, such as loneliness and disconnection.
- Collaborate to conceptualize and present inclusive urban design ideas that reflect the Philadelphia community’s cultural diversity.
Join Us
Have you ever wondered how the rich tapestry of different cultures can shape the design and character of our cities? Cultural integration often overlooks the projection of culture onto the built environment. Yet, the layout and design of our homes, neighborhoods, and cities are a direct representation of cultural histories, values, and norms, and play a significant role in fostering a sense of belonging.
“The Mosaic Project” aims to actively involve the Philadelphia community in exploring and celebrating its diverse cultural heritage through collaborative urban design.
At every scale, the built environment is a product of cultural manifestation and has a profound impact on our experiences of other cultures. When we travel abroad, we witness the power of urban design, architecture, and cityscapes in reflecting a unique cultural identity. The grandeur of historical landmarks or the intimate charm of traditional neighborhoods all contribute to our understanding and appreciation of different ways of life. Similarly, even on a micro-scale, when we visit other people’s houses, we are immersed in the nuances of their cultural practices and personal preferences, via art and decor, spatial arrangements, and other aesthetic choices.
By envisioning how people from different cultures would shape the homes, neighborhoods, and cities in which we live, we can glean insight into others’ cultural values and appreciate unique ways of living. This project will allow us to draw inspiration from the longstanding traditions of rich cultural heritages to treat societal issues of our own. For instance, Western Societies can draw invaluable spatial and design considerations from African villages to better promote social connection. This is especially relevant today as social isolation and loneliness have become global epidemics.
The foundation of “The Mosaic Project” is based on the belief that witnessing and experiencing how others live catapults us into understanding and empathy. Immersion in different contexts influences our behaviors, provokes curiosity, and invites us to fully embrace and appreciate the way of life within that context. By engaging community members in creating their ideal surroundings through “The Mosaic Project,” we aim to create transformative experiences that go beyond traditional artistic expressions to foster intercultural understanding and appreciation and promote genuine connection.
Stay tuned for more details to come!
