SUMMARY
Urban Lawn is an initiative dedicated to fostering a sense of shared value and community in the East Village by enhancing urban aesthetics and promoting collective care. Our flagship project is a Vertical Garden designed to be hung on urban balconies, transforming them into vibrant focal points visible from the street. Inspired by the Broken Window Theory, which suggests visible neglect perpetuates disorder, the garden aims to inspire pride and responsibility among residents. By encouraging individuals to invest in the appearance of their street, we hope to create cleaner, more inviting neighborhoods while strengthening community connections.
challenge
The primary stakeholder need I identified is the lack of shared value within the East Village community. Instead, a sense of collective indifference toward communal spaces prevails throughout the neighborhood. This apathy is driven by factors such as the temporariness of rental culture, the absence of individual ownership often seen in urban environments compared to suburban or rural areas, and deeply ingrained pre-existing norms that urban environments are littered and unkept.
Outcome
The outcome of this project is a design for a temporary vertical garden that attaches to urban balconies. This allows residents to invest in a customizable product they can proudly display for their community. The goal is to foster a sense of stewardship and care for the streetscape among owners, neighbors, and passersby alike.
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