Bronx Blossoms: Empowering Single Mothers in NYC
Mott Haven, Bronx, NYSpring 2018, Syracuse University Fisher Center
Collaborator: Anna Korneeva
Critic: Angie Co, Julie Moskovitz
The proposal targets underserved single mothers with young children and offers a stable environment by providing affordable housing, training, and education for their children. After our site visit and some research on Mott Haven and its demographics, we came across a very high number of single mothers living in South Bronx. According to research by Institute for Children, Poverty & Homelessness, among the boroughs of NYC, the Bronx has the highest percentage of single mothers with young children earning below the federal poverty level at 46 percent. The Bronx, one of the most diverse boroughs in the City, with a significant number of people of color, single mothers, and immigrant women, ranked last in terms of economic security. They also have higher rates of unemployment and poverty and lower median earnings.
In addition to providing affordable housing for single mothers earning below the poverty level, the community programs located on the ground level provide training for mothers and 3K education for their kids. The goal of our job training and workforce development program is to help women gain more economic security since these single mothers are responsible for nurturing, feeding, clothing, and sheltering their young children. The training program offers a library and classrooms, where they can learn the basic education to run a small business or get employed easily. In the test kitchen, similar to Hot Bread Kitchen, they can cook their home recipes and organize tasting events.
The form of our building learns from the vernacular architecture and uses shared spaces to create opportunities for the families to engage with each other and create a tighter community. The main concept of this project revolves around shared spaces and the linked balconies that connect the units. Each unit shares at least one balcony with the neighbor unit. They are linked by the living room, which is the most social and public element of these units. The adjustable metal mesh shutters allow for privacy for the residents since the linked balconies are very exposed to the public.
