DOT (Department of Tenderness)

Concept

The Department of Tenderness (DOT) is a fictional New York City bureaucratic agency tasked with promoting and preserving love and tenderness within the New York Metropolitan area. Originally created under the aegis of the Romantic Urbanism project, the DOT has held multiple events centered on provoking reflection on the role bureaucracy has in our lives.

Government power has a multifaceted influence on our lives, and the DOT project was created to explore the nuances and consequences of that power. In certain situations, such as disaster relief or public emergencies, the government can mobilize its power to move effectively and quickly to save lives.

In other areas, however, we might resent the way government imposes certain rules and regulations on our lives, as anyone who has waited in line at the DMV can attest. The DOT project was created to explore the ways in which government power can be used to promote love and tenderness in our lives for good and for ill. If the DOT existed, would it be a boon? A dystopian nightmare? Or a little of both?

Events

On October 20th, the DOT held a public feedback session in Kensington Plaza, in Brooklyn. Members of the community came to view and share their thoughts on new DOT signage for 2025, proposals for the new V Line in New York City, and to fill out "Love Landmark" forms suggesting locations in the city that hold special meaning for them.

On December 5th, the DOT held another session at Barlow, in Brooklyn. DOT commissioners set up a booth to help New Yorkers troubleshoot their romantic problems, search for a soulmate through the DOT S&M Initative, and rank different public agencies based on levels of tenderness.

On February 19, the DOT made an appearance at the launch party for the release of Urban Omnibus's collaboration with Romantic Urbanism. The DOT displayed a series of signage proposals and participated in an activity where participants could design new signs and formulate love landmarks.