Can DALL-E Save Our Main Streets?

In a world where rapid technological changes risk threatening the survival of our main streets, can the ingenuity of generative AI help reimagine these quintessential spaces at the heart of our towns and cities?

Embark on a thought-provoking three-part journey that invites you to delve into the essence of main streets with DALL-E. Through the sharing of personal stories, a visit to a local main street, collaborative brainstorming, and innovative use of DALL-E prompts, we’ll bring to life a digital tapestry of what main streets have been, are, and what they could become.

Session 1: Reflecting on the Past (Tuesday, January 9, 2024 - 2 to 4 pm)

Harness DALL-E to awaken the spirit of our collective lived experiences of main streets in vivid digital form. 

Session 2: Observing the Present (Tuesday, January 16, 2024 - 2 to 5 pm)

Immerse yourself with a local visit to a present-day main street and aim to capture its essence through DALL-E prompts.

Session 3: Envisioning the Future (Tuesday, January 23, 2024 - 2 to 4 pm)

Participate in a collective visioning exercise where your ideas and DALL-E’s creativity will merge to design futures of transformed and thriving main streets.

Fueled by coffee and delightful pastries, the culmination of our creative sessions will form part of a unique digital collage to be shared with the MIT community, representing the collective visions of our main streets' past, present, and--most importantly--their future.

Limited to 12 participants, register by December 20 to secure your spot. Open to all, with a strong preference for those who can attend and fully engage in the three sessions.

Registration link here: https://forms.gle/7icaG28QJq2jSecj7

Facilitated by Fadi G. Haddad, Fulbright Canada Visiting Researcher at MIT’s Senseable City Lab investigating how big data can shed light on the dynamics and resilience of main streets. Email fhaddad@mit.edu for any questions.