P.01: The Well, An Urban Oasis
SITE: NEW HAVEN, CT TERM: SPRING 2022 PROGRAM: PAVILION FOR PEOPLE AND BIRDS INSTRUCTOR: SUNIL BALD
The Dixwell neighborhood is more than the crime that plagues its online identity. In my initial research, I was immediately conscious of the simplistic story of a crime-ridden Dixwell that reflects the prejudice of the Yale community. This project highlights this intersection as an active resilient community with a long history of advocating for its identity and wellbeing. Its resilient nature is reflected in the long history of African American figures, churches, and community-driven programs that have actively given to the liberation and development of the community. This project carves out a space from this rich landscape of history to give these voices a liberated fugitive space of healing and agency. The urban oasis proposed is not new; it is excavated from Dixwell’s history and landscape and exhibits this rich community’s true identity, ultimately creating opportunities for people, animals, and nature to commune around water.