Zoning law regulates land use across the
city, and shapes buildings, blocks, and whole neighborhoods. It can be a tool for preservation or for rapid physical and economic development. But how does it work? And why is it so controversial?
At the end of 2013, CUP launched What Is Zoning? The toolkit was produced in collaboration with designers Jeff Lai and Andrew Sloat, and more than 20 NYC community organizations.It includes a set of colorful plastic blocks, a double-sided “gameboard” at city and block scales, and a workshop booklet to explain what zoning is and how it works. Users can “build” out a neighborhood, and explore scales, densities, and building types in order to understand
how proposed redevelopment will affect their community.CUP has conducted outreach to community groups, organizers, and housing advocates, who have purchased the toolkit at a subsidized rate so that they can do additional workshops with their own constituents, reaching thousands more individuals across New York City.