When you hear “New York City,” Rockaway is probably not the first place that comes to mind. However, if you take the A train all the way to the end of Queens, you’ll find a community where the environment holds deep significance for its residents.
The first time I visited Rockaway, it felt like a place that shouldn’t be part of New York City but rather an enclave of its own. Though it’s only a few stops away from Manhattan, it moves at a different rhythm, with its own pace and unique social dynamics. People from diverse backgrounds call this place home. Living side by side, individuals of different religions, nationalities, cultures, and ethnicities create a neighborhood where the cultural landscape shifts from one house to the next. As people go about their daily lives, the way they shape their surroundings reflects both their personal identities and their understanding of those around them.
With this project, my goal is to capture how the environment shapes the way people live and adapt. Walking from one end of the peninsula to the other, you can see how residents navigate their differences and find ways to coexist in a place where nature and human life are in constant conversation. This delicate balance is what makes Rockaway special. The community chooses to live here, embracing both the challenges of nature and the richness of its cultural diversity. It is a neighborhood where people accept the struggles of living by the water while cherishing the character that emerges from coexistence.
