Natural Neighbors

The Natural Neighbors project at the Nostrand Houses campus of the New York City Housing Authority is a two acre neighborhood park that integrates nature into urban living, foster connections among residents and neighboring communities while mitigating the impacts of flooding. Inspired by the local ecoregions and ecological communities of Kings County, the project aims to create a harmonious blend of nature and community, providing urban heat island reduction, stormwater cleaning, outdoor play, and habitat creation. 

This project features a series of outdoor rooms, ranging from intimate serene areas to larger communal spaces, designed to facilitate community gatherings, outdoor activities, and moments of individual tranquility. Areas include the incorporation of sand pits and turf berms, mimicking the interdunal grassland ecological communities, and woodland areas based on the coastal beech-oak ecological community where basketball courts are protected by shade and individuals have outdoor reading rooms underneath native canopies. 

Additionally, the project includes dynamic stormwater management systems that convey, collect, and retain water during cloudburst events, promoting resilience and sustainability. By leveraging the local ecological communities, the Natural Neighbors project not only enhances spaces for human habitation but also fosters community building and provides ecological services that contribute to the mental and physical improvement and well-being of the public housing residents.