Hester Street Collaborative - Participatory Design

Participatory Design

HSC provides professional architecture and design services as well as opportunities to interface with decision-makers. Without the participation of current residents, renovations of public spaces often displace locals while incoming, more affluent newcomers change the unique character of the neighborhood. HSC addresses the need to improve public spaces particularly within neighborhoods with large immigrant populations. Many barriers prevent residents from having a voice in decisions regarding their built environment. 40% of Chinatown and the Lower East Side are foreign-born and 37% are not English-proficient. In Chinatown and the Lower East Side, there are only 0.7 acres (2,800 m2) of open space per 1,000 people, in spite of the Governor’s Open Space Report recommending an open space/population ratio of 2.5 acres (10,000 m2) per 1,000 people. This means that residents of disadvantaged communities often lack opportunities to experience the natural environment and the benefits of open spaces.