After three months of hard work, the planners could finally relieve yesterday- the public presentation of our neighborhood projects was successfully held at the Urban Center XI.
At the Urban Center, our posters-which sum up our findings in the neighborhoods-were hung. Each group (there were 4 groups in total) prepared 4 posters for each neighborhood, with each of the posters describing the overview, the street survey, the cognitive map and the analytical account respectively. All these beautiful posters will also be exhibited in the Rome Exhibition in Ithaca in Fall 2009.
The presentation attracted a big group of university students, representatives from the Urban Center and a few individuals. Most importantly, I was very glad to see that Prof. Blanchard, Prof. Cremaschi, Prof. Gadeyne, Anna Rita and Pamela had also come to show their support.
During the four-hour presentation, each group was given one hour to present its findings. From the initial street survey to the consequent cognitive map exercise to the final analytical account, we planners have indeed done a lot of work. As such, we could not present everything we had written about, but rather a brief summary of all important findings. In particular, I was surprised to know that all four neighborhoods had different issues to deal with: Whereas the San Paolo group studied the impact of the university and the church to the local community, the Monte Pilvio group researched on the impact of a new market to the neighborhood and related it to the Slow Food Movement. In addition, the Tiburtina group studied gentrification, and my group, Acqua Bullicante, did a lot of research on immigration and integration.
Despite the long presentation, we all learned a lot from each other. Finally, the presentation culminated in refreshments, which we all enjoyed. To me, this final presentation was bittersweet. Although it means the end of our endless nights at the computer lab, it also connotes the end of this wonderful semester. Nevertheless, I really appreciated this opportunity to work in a 3 month-long group project, in which, not only did we all get to know each other better, we also learned more about how to cooperate with others better. Tonight, I will go to my neighborhood, Acqua Bullicante, for the very last time (we are all going there for Indian food!). I am sure I will miss my time spent in my neighborhood, for which my group has researched extensively .