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Talking Trash: Throwing Out the Big Apple

Urban Investigations

The Big Squeeze Poster

Micro-apartments are touted as both a way to live with less, and a pilot project to create housing for a squeezed city. These tiny studio apartments — smaller than what is currently allowed by NYC law — are meant to house a population explosion of single New Yorkers. However, many worry that these snug accommodations serve only a narrow group. Who’s left out of the conversation? And how much space do you really need to live?

CUP and teaching artist Chat Travieso worked with a group of public high school students from Bushwick’s Academy of Urban Planning to investigate the fascination with tiny modular living spaces. The students asked urban planners about regulatory hurdles, architects about prefabricated units, and developers about funding. They also talked to community advocates about what groups are privileged in the race for newer smaller housing stock. The crew took what they learned and with the help of graphic designer Mary Voorhees Meehan, they created The Big Squeeze, a poster that uses collage-craziness to teach others about the past, present, and future of apartments in New York City.

This display-quality poster ships rolled.