Inverting Broadway

Studio: Core I
Year: Fall 2021
Critic: Alessandro Orsini Urban Design, Community, Model-Making




This project reimagines the commons by utilizing the interstitial void behind residential buildings to create a new typology of the commercial corridor. These backyard spaces that are often neglected and under-utilized can be repurposed to support local businesses that may not be able to afford the rising property values of the main commercial storefronts on Broadway. The presence of mom-and-pop shops are important for the community in order to maintain employment opportunities and to inspire the youth.

By inverting Broadway from the edge of the block to the interior, the vibrancy and activity of the street is brought into the residential block, giving spaces for the neighbors to come together. The collective of property owners of the residential block will be renting their backyard space to the businesses at an affordable rent price, which can then be used to provide funds for rental assistance for the residents of the block. By creating an infrastructure of community gathering, job opportunities, and rental assistance, the project hopes to create a replicable system of utilizing the void for the commons. 

The form would take a modular system as well by recycling ephemeral street objects such as scaffolding and outdoor dining structures, and reusing them to create an expandable and flexible space. By using accessible items and simple construction, the system will be low cost and easily transplantable.










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