Collective kindness in New York City
In a city known for its constant movement, what stops people in their tracks?
The Cities of Awe Lab launched its first public experiment in New York City, to reimagine cities as places of everyday wonder. Through public engagements with citizen scientists and students, more than 2,000 New Yorkers shared how awe shapes their daily experiences. Residents communicated the power of awe as a vital civic resource—an antidote to declining social connection and civic imagination.
Over the course of one week, practitioners, cultural leaders, researchers, families, and students, shared experiences and stories through immersive installations, awe walks and participatory mapping. Together, we explored where and how awe emerges across neighborhoods and communities.
The result is a living archive and collective portrait of awe in New York. The findings affirm awe’s potential to strengthen residents’ sense of belonging and inform more inclusive, place-based approaches to urban policy and design.