This project envisions a vibrant, sustainable, and culturally rooted community in West Harlem, addressing key challenges such as gentrification, lack of green spaces, nutritional access, and cultural erosion. Harlem’s rich African American and Hispanic heritage is celebrated through design choices like terracotta and brick, symbolizing its history while countering cultural decline.
Key features include 96 intergenerational housing units, oriented based on annual sunlight direction to maximize natural light throughout the year. The units are distributed in two parallel rows with light-optimized voids, ensuring bright and welcoming spaces. Ground floors serve as public hubs with community spaces and urban farms to promote education, nutrition, and wellness. The facade features adjustable mesh panels designed to balance public and private needs while allowing sunlight to enter interiors effectively, enhancing comfort and energy efficiency. Sustainable systems like anaerobic digesters further enhance environmental resilience. A material palette of oak and terracotta creates a harmonious blend of vibrancy and relaxation.
By integrating green spaces, sociable pathways, and community cores, the design reconnects residents with their roots and each other, fostering a sense of belonging. This approach aims to revitalize Harlem’s cultural identity, improve quality of life, and set a precedent for equitable, culturally conscious urban development.
