The project is to reveal relevant problems facing a community in a specific area, clearly demonstrating the magnitude and impact on the community. After the problem has been identified, the student would search for community partners in the space and work with them side-by-side to help improve the problem.

The goal was to partner with an organization to work around the overbearing amount of vacant lots in Philadelphia. Partnering with PHS Land-Care, which uses gardening and landscaping to clean, green, and maintain vacant lots. The team replaces waste with grass, trees, and plants in 12,000 lots to develop green spaces in urban areas. With support from the City of Philadelphia, PHS partners with a network of contractors and community groups to turn vacant lots into a positive public green space. These spaces create lasting benefits including decreased gun violence and improved mental health.

Developed With: Revit, Lumion, Illustrator, Indesign, Photoshop

Philadelphia Horticultural Society

Philadelphia, PA

The macro problem

From a macro view, Philadelphia has one of the highest crime rates in the United States. With tens of thousands of vacant parcels, does this play a role in the crime rate?

The micro problem

From a micro view, there are 40,000 vacant parcels in Philadelphia. According to the data, there is a high correlation between crimes and vacancy in these areas.