Tag: Essex County Jail

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Empathy in Historic Preservation | Interview with Historian Madeline Feierstein

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Historian Madeline Feierstein interviews Myles Zhang about his research on the old Essex County Jail in Newark, NJ. They discuss the history of psychiatric institutions and prisons, and then advocate for preserving buildings with darker histories. The preservation of dark sites empowers us to tell a more complete story about how we became a divided and polarized nation today. Myles’s research emphasizes the importance of these sites as vital pieces of American history. VIEW PUBLICATION >

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Civil Rights Rebellion in the Essex County Jail

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Season 13, Episode 6 of the Abandoned Engineering series for Discovery Channel, explores the old Essex County Jail in Newark, New Jersey. After seeing my research and reading my Master’s thesis project, Discovery Channel approached me about co-creating a documentary about this jail, which was streamed in July 2024, both in the U.S. and internationally in 20 languages. Based on recorded interviews with me, this documentary commemorates those incarcerated here by highlighting the building’s historical significance and broader themes of injustice.

As published by: Discovery Channel / UK Channel 4 VIEW PUBLICATION >

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The City as Carceral State

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This personal essay reflects on my experiences growing up in Newark, NJ, and witnessing the city’s stark socioeconomic divides. These experiences inspired my current studies of architecture and urban planning, with a particular focus on systemic inequality in the built environment. I hope to make scholarship accessible, to address historical injustices through genuine community engagement and historical research. VIEW PUBLICATION >

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Bulldozer Urbanism

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The New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) faces criticism for demolishing historic buildings in Newark’s James Street Commons Historic District. While NJIT invested significantly in architecture for its students, the parts of campus that face toward the city and commmunity lack community engagement and negatively impact urban aesthetics. I advocate for campus planning that enhances neighborhood life and preserves historical assets. VIEW PUBLICATION >

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Architecture of Redemption?

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My master’s of architecture thesis at the University of Cambridge. This research explores the contradictions of solitary confinement at Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia. This prison experimented with prolonged solitary confinement in the 1830s to inspire the redemption of inmates. By analyzing Jeremy Bentham’s plans for the ideal panopticon prison, architect John Haviland’s designs for this specific prison, and visitor accounts of prison’s daily operations, my thesis examines the builders’ philosophical assumptions about utopia, architecture, and human nature. VIEW PUBLICATION >

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Exhibition Design for the Old Essex County Jail

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Developed in collaboration with Newark Landmarks and the master’s program in historic preservation at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation. The abandoned old Essex County Jail in Newark was built in 1837 and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This project transformed revitalization proposals by Columbia University’s historic preservation students into an exhibit and website. The exhibit highlight this jail’s social history and aimed to foster discussion on incarceration and urban regeneration.

As published by Columbia University GSAPP. Visit: OldEssexCountyJail.org VIEW PUBLICATION >