the program of ‘community center’ has different meanings depending on where it’s placed. different factors impact the community that already lives on the site - food desert, wealth disparity, lack of connection to the city and maintenance, overrun infrastructure, flood issues, and different housing authorities and systems. and most recently, hurricane sandy has made the community on the site well aware of both their vulnerability to crises and the social and economic need for resiliency. the project addresses the need for a permanent fixture in the constantly-redeveloped fabric of the community. one that addresses its hardships head on, one that can be proactive and protective of its community.
at its core, the project centers around the use of low-cost materials and prefabricated structure, to create an expansive and accessible green space for a community that previously could never claim a space like that as their own.
