Organization Details

Founded in 2002 by the architecture firm Leroy Street Studio, our guiding principle is that civic engagement in participatory design helps New Yorkers have a profound impact on the overall health and well-being of their communities. HSC engages local residents to transform neglected public spaces in parks, schools and affordable housing developments in a ?design-build? process which gives stakeholders a hands-on role.

HSC believes that in order to foster vibrant communities in which residents are engaged and have a sense of positive ownership, disadvantaged community members must have a voice in decisions about how their built environment is shaped. They must also have a ?place at the table? with government and private decision-makers who are unaccustomed to effectively incorporating the voice of disadvantaged communities into the development process. Empowering local communities with the tools and strategies to interface with these decision-makers on community design is our unique ?brand? of design. Our goal is engage the public in a more transparent community design process, enabling disadvantaged residents to take an active role in determining the shape of their built environment and helping them to create community art installations and other physical improvements in public spaces.

HSC believes engaging the youth of a community is a vital part of the process of transforming a community?s public spaces and leveraging meaningful civic engagement among its residents. Our design-education programs draw on our staff?s professional art and design expertise, and work to engage youth of all ages. Youth in our education programs become more civically engaged members of their communities, and are often inspired to pursue further volunteer work or educational opportunities in architecture and design.

Address

113 Hester Street
New York, NY 10002
(212) 431-6780

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