Urban Studio has teamed-up with The African American United Fund to transform a vacant lot into an outdoor community center. The 2500 square-foot lot is located at 2229 N. Broad Street (just above Susquehanna), and is propitiously situated between two AAUF properties.
The adjacent buildings provide valuable resources for constructing and maintaining the space; such as running water, two roofs from which to collect storm water, two walls for vertical gardening and murals, electricity, restroom facilities & office space.
The lot is currently inhabited by two mature Mulberry trees, which in turn support a diverse population of plants and animals at the site.
Mulberry trees also yield a wide array of products: bark for paper, branches for baskets, leaves for silkfarms, roots for medicine, and berries for food and fabric dye.
Our collective priorities are to preserve, cultivate and celebrate this habitat. Thanks to the generous support of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the Philadelphia Zoo and the Department of Public Health, our plans have taken root.
Pending the installation of a wooden deck, AAUF will open an income-generating, mixed-use, open-air venue available for exhibits, workshops, meetings, markets, ceremonies, performances, parties, etc.
Our hope is that this project will inspire and promote work of this kind throughout the community; by cultivating an interest in the benefits of green spaces, urban gardening, nutrition and sustainability.
