A New Green Space at Marlboro Houses Shows the Power of Community–Led Design
Residents at Marlboro Houses in Brooklyn can now enjoy a newly transformed outdoor space combining sustainability, accessibility, and community vision.
The Center is proud to partner with the Public Housing Community Fund, NYCHA, the Urban Conga, Rockwell Group, Field Forms, and the many others who made this project possible, especially the residents of Marlboro Houses, whose leadership was central to the co-design of this new community space.
The renovation transformed over 7,200 square feet (about twice the area of a tennis court) of open space into a welcoming environment designed around residents’ needs and ideas. Residents helped shape every aspect of the project, which is made up of layouts, pathways, gathering areas, and play features.
The continuous pathway uses approximately 450,00 recycled corks collected from restaurants throughout New York City. The walking pathway is an important accessible surface that also serves as storm water management and reducing environmental harm. The project includes plants, rain gardens, and other green landscapes that improve climate and support ecosystems.
The Center for Justice Innovation ensured residents remained in the blueprint throughout the entire design process. While working with community members and resident leaders, the Center has helped to create a space that upholds local priorities and strengthens the community.
The new green space includes interactive art and sensory play spaces created by design studios like The Urban Conga, which encourages gathering, learning, and exploration for residents of all ages.
At the Center for Justice Innovation, projects like these demonstrate the importance of community interconnectedness.
We build relationships by investing in people and places, helping residents shape their neighborhoods to make communities stronger, healthier, and reflective of the individuals they serve.
The Marlboro Houses project is the final site completed in the second phase of Green Space Connections, a $3.2 million initiative supporting resident-led green spaces across NYCHA communities. Throughout the expansion of NYCHA campuses across New York City, it shows how community leadership, deep partnership, and thoughtful design can create safer, healthier, and more connected neighborhoods.
See previous Green Space Connections projects here.