The Digital Archive of Newark Architecture

The Digital Archive of Newark Architecture (DANA) is an initiative undertaken by the New Jersey Institute of Technology Barbara and Leonard Littman Library to document the built environment of Newark. Since its launch in 2009, DANA has become an important and actively used tool for research and teaching. As of July 2020, DANA contains: more than 1,000 item records, 650 maps, over 350 articles, 76 documents from the Registered Historic Places Inventory along with other government records, 60-plus books, numerous photographs, student projects, informational pages focusing on buildings and architects, and links to other online collections providing access to hundreds of additional materials. DANA also contains special collections, such as the Newark Public Library’s Samuel Berg photograph collection, and unique projects like Newark Airport City.  

DANA was conceived  as a response to the changing needs of the digital era. It was designed to improve public access to a variety of historic materials and to create a digital archive of past and present projects in Newark: old, new, and renovated buildings, parks, plans, outdoor sculpture, and anything of interest to the physical life of the city, its architecture, and its infrastructure. It is an indispensable resource, and is used not only by The New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) but also by the broader public, including users from abroad. It connects us to the community and allows us to collaborate with other institutions to share resources and expertise. Professors at the Hillier College of Architecture and Design (HCAD) at NJIT realize the importance of grounding architectural learning through real-world applications and a deep understanding of physical space and the interconnectedness of cities’ buildings, infrastructure and population. Architecture students at HCAD regularly participate in projects structured around Newark which can involve exploring Newark’s built history or conceiving new built works in the city. DANA helps them to accomplish this and to serve as a record of their projects. 

DANA is continually evolving and expanding. Began as a simple series of web pages it has grown into a globally used resource. In 2016 DANA was migrated to the OMEKA platform. Along with making the database searchable, this move has allowed for greater ease in adding and editing entries as well as additional features such as online exhibits and crowd sourcing of materials. 

Project Credits: 
Digital Archive of Newark Architecture (DANA)
Date: 2009-present
Type: Digital Humanities project; resources
Partners: Hillier College of Architecture and Design, Newark Museum, Newark Public Library,  and City Archives 
Directors: Dr. Maya Gervits, PhD
Participants: Dr. Maya Gervits, PhD, Director of the Barbara and Leonard Littman Library, Monica Kenzie, Architecture, Art and Design Librarian, and graduate students assigned to work on the project
Funding: The initial phase of the project was made possible by grants from the Bay and Paul Foundations the Leavens Foundation. Additional funding has been awarded from the New Jersey Historical Commission (FY 2016 $13,500) and the Investors Foundation (2017 $5,000).

Press: 
ARLIS Multimedia and Technology Reviews, Jessica M. Morales
Brick City Live, Shydale James, April 21, 2017
NJIT, Nurturing Newark: NJIT Preserves the Built Environment of New Jersey’s Largest City,
Shydale James, April 5, 2017