Belle Gardens

How do we rejuvenate empty lots?Scattered across twelve blocks along Herkimer Street in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn are thirteen abandoned lots owned by New York City. The project proposes seven new buildings with 78 affordable apartments for an unusual target audience – homeowners. The design pursued the following agenda through a complex regulatory review:how can new buildings complement the existing neighborhoodhow to connect garden spaces and encourage community bondshow to provide graceful entrances to new homeshow to promote healthy and energy efficient lifestyle