Living in a city is a growing way of life with 365 million people in urban areas in the United States alone. The density of people facilitates the building of communities, shortens travel, and makes it easier to obtain a wealth of goods and services, but it also introduces risks. Cars hit bicyclists; fires can easily consume multiple homes; criminals have access to more victims; etc.

Reflective clothing, fire hydrants, cell phones, and lamp posts are all things that help make our urban lives safer. Unfortunately, they are also things that we take for granted. It is easy to become complacent about safety, but protecting the population of a diverse and dynamic city is not.

In this studio, students will assess the urban environment through the lens of personal safety. Students will learn to observe and identify the safety issues of living in a city, and choose a problem around which to create a personal safety device.