The Attention Landscape - A Central Park Walk

​The Attention Landscape: How 19th-Century Designers Shaped Your Perception, Mood, and Movement

​What if you could step inside the design problem Central Park was created to solve, and try to solve it yourself?

​This walking experience invites you to explore Central Park as a carefully designed attentional and emotional landscape, created long before computers to guide attention, emotion, pace, and social life.

​We begin by grounding ourselves in the designers’ historical context: the problems that their society faced and how they attempted to solve them. Along the way, you’ll be invited to imagine your own design decisions. Given the same challenges, how would you use the resources at your disposal to influence social dynamics?

​We’ll compare your instincts with primary sources and the built landscape itself, moving from the park’s edge into its interior to observe how distinct spatial zones shape perception and behavior.

​Come walk with us, and let the park shape our time together toward new insights, unexpected friendships, and meaningful connection.

​This event is part of Community Week NYC (May 9-17, 2026) - a citywide celebration of social connection. Explore all events so you can find your people at www.communityweek.nyc.