Welcome to Public Domain!
From air quality sensors to benefits portals and digital wallets, technology is no longer an add-on to city life—it is civic infrastructure. These invisible systems shape how we access housing, move through space, or engage with public institutions. Yet, they remain out of sight, designed without the communities they govern, and insulated from public imagination.
Public Domain is a newsletter about making these hidden systems visible—and reshaping them as civic infrastructure. It traces how algorithms, datasets, and interfaces quietly govern urban life, and asks: what would it mean to design them with justice, curiosity, and public power? From mesh networks to open data, this is a space for rethinking the new operating system of the city.
What to expect from Public Domain:
Field Notes: Deep-dive discussions that examine the intricate and often overlooked aspects of technology and cities, unpacking the intersection of urban planning, product development, and public innovation.
Adaptive Reuse: A curated list of recommendations featuring articles, podcasts, and other media that sparks new ways of thinking about technology, design, and power.
Who’s behind Public Domain?
Hello! I’m Nneka Sobers, an urban designer and civic technologist developing new pathways for citymakers to leverage technology to increase public good. I currently serve as the Deputy Director of New York City’s Innovation Team in the Mayor’s Office. My background in urban planning + design, UX research, and product management has taken me on a journey that includes working as a Assistant Director of Product Development @ Cornell Tech’s Urban Tech Hub, Product Manager at NYC Planning Labs and co-founding an MIT-incubated civic tech startup.
Enjoy ☺
