2024 Edmund N. Bacon Student Urban Design Competition

Philadelphia's 7th Ward, which was once the heart of Black Philadelphia, was a historically significant African-American community in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This area stood as a significant community, flourishing with thriving businesses, schools, and churches, and serving as a vibrant cultural epicenter and a catalyst for political activism. Notable landmarks and influential figures found their homes within this area, embodying the ward's deep-rooted contributions to community development. 

However, the 7th Ward's vibrancy was disrupted by areas of concentrated poverty, coordinated disenfranchisement, discriminatory housing and planning policies, disinvestment, declining economic opportunities, and other opportunities outside of the crowded 7th Ward. These challenges have resulted in contemporary conditions that are fueling conversations about gentrification, discriminatory zoning, displacement, and the erasure of the ward's rich historical past.

To honor and reclaim the history and cultural contributions of the 7th Ward, we invite you to envision a development that transcends the constraints and obstacles imposed by discriminatory economic, racial, planning strategies, and policies. Your task is to imagine a community that thrives based on its deep-rooted heritage, fostering sustained generational wealth, implementing infrastructure that supports both economic and cultural prosperity, and creating spatial planning that fosters self-reliance and a strong sense of community.

As you look to explore and develop imagined solutions, we challenge you to infuse innovative ideas and creative strategies that reflect the community's cultural significance into the fabric of the built environment. Emphasizing inclusivity and sustainability, your designs should serve as inspiring examples of how similar approaches can be applied in other communities to prevent deterioration and preserve their heritage spearheading a visionary approach to community development.

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