Capstone Exhibition

comMutiny is an interactive archive website built for Senior Studio II at Rutgers University, Newark, for Professor Jenifer Bernstein and Professor Rebecca Jampol, Spring 2026

As the capitalist market continues to evolve in the United States, transportation infrastructure has steadily declined. Consumer dependence on automobiles has undermined all other alternative modes of transportation, cutting investment in public transit and other infrastructure. This car-centric system has contributed to significant problems, including redlining, urban sprawl, and the deterioration of public transportation funding outside major cities and densely populated areas, leaving them barren and desolate. “America’s car-centric infrastructure has revolutionized American transportation and our society, but it also perpetuates countless social injustices and inequities, while misappropriating funds for public transportation infrastructure and advancements.

Using Russian Constructivism as a base for my inspiration, taking abstracted shapes and bold colors to be the future propaganda for public transportation, and walking infrastructure.

Insert for Tracework Web

Medium 1: comMUTINY

Medium 1 Abstract: comMUTINY is a tabletop simulation of the U.S. transportation landscape, focusing on the interplay between automotive, transit, and active mobility. Through data-driven mechanics, players navigate the systemic inequities of car-centric urban design. This immersive experience highlights the socioeconomic consequences of automobile dependency while challenging players to reconsider the future of American connectivity.

The comMUTINY board game translates real-world statistics and lived experiences into a strategic tabletop environment. Players navigate the unique challenges inherent to different transportation classes, gaining a firsthand perspective on how urban infrastructure is fundamentally engineered for car dependency. Because the game is built on empirical data and authentic personal accounts, it mirrors a sobering reality: the system is effectively rigged. This is reflected in the mechanics themselves, where the dice are weighted to match the actual mobility constraints of each mode of transportation. Coupled with action cards drawn from real-life occurrences, comMUTINY serves as a direct simulation of a world “our world” where the car is designed to win. By centering the experience on active participation, the game enables players to reach these realizations organically through gameplay rather than instruction.

Medium 2: comMUTINY the Data Visualized

Medium 2 Abstract: comMUTINY, the data visualized is a participation-based data installation that quantifies the imbalances in modern transit. Using abstracted sculptural forms to categorize automotive, public transit, and active mobility data, the installation maps key metrics across transparent tiers. This layered, 3D approach allows viewers to tangibly grasp the scale of American car dependency. Supported by an analytical key, the installation transforms abstract infrastructure statistics into a legible, spatial critique of our built environment.

The visual climax, where the volume of vehicles exceeds the capacity of the designated parking spaces, serves as a tangible indictment of America’s car-centric infrastructure. By contrasting this surplus against the limited representation of public transit and active mobility, the installation highlights a systemic lack of investment in diverse infrastructure. When public transit and active mobility begin to populate the survey, it shows the lack of attention these modes of transportation receive. Ultimately, the data illustrate a self-perpetuating cycle that reinforces car dependency by marginalizing all other modes of transport.