dD+P brought its work at the intersection of planning, technology, and community engagement to the national stage at the American Planning Association’s 2026 National Planning Conference.
On April 26th, Janice Chu presented “Generative AI: Catalyst for Civic Co-Design and Aspirations,” exploring how Generative AI can support more inclusive and socially responsible planning processes. Ricky Liu, Associate Principal, and Alan Chan, Associate, were also in attendance.
Janice’s session highlighted how AI can:
- Support engagement for diverse stakeholders
- Complement traditional engagement tactics to reduce bias
- Foster ownership in the planning process and translate ideas into actionable, equitable insights
- Unlock research and development strategies for innovative, community-focused, transit-oriented planning
The presentation built on co-creation strategies that dD+P, along with Sunnyside Shines BID and the Queens Lighting Collective, tested during the development of the Sunnyside Public Realm Vision Plan in Queens, NY.
The session reinforced that Generative AI is most effective in planning not as a replacement for community engagement but as a tool to deepen participation, surface shared aspirations, and help translate local input into more equitable outcomes.
Also at the conference, Munsun Park, Senior Director of Transit Oriented Development at the MTA, presented “Zoning for a City That Moves: Unlocking Potential,” featuring dD+P’s project Queens Plaza North.
Click to learn more about dD+P’s work on the Sunnyside Public Realm Vision Plan.
