Addressing the needs of the Melrose community requires a focus on small-scale connections, both formally and socially. This community faces challenges such as fresh food scarcity and the impacts of industrial pollution on health, yet it also exhibits a vibrant culture that is celebrated on the sidewalks. This project aims to use small spaces and relationships to address these problems and celebrate a connected community. Within the city, the commercial and cultural energy of the street is encouraged by expanding the sidewalk into the block. A village of towers along these small streets link visually, both across and up buildings. Within each floor, shared spaces serve as productive gardening and relaxation space for connections between neighbors. The result is a collection of spaces, varied from floor to floor, which allow for interdependent living between diverse peoples and their stories.
