Project by Angela Hunga
Sara D. Roosevelt Park in the Lower East Side of New York City is situated within a neighborhood historically shaped by immigration and cultural exchange. Today, the surrounding community includes a large Asian and immigrant population, many of whom rely on the park as an accessible space for physical and mental wellness. While the park contains various recreational programs, these offerings often fail to reflect the cultural practices and daily rhythms of its users.
Mapping of wellness infrastructure reveals that gyms and fitness facilities are concentrated in higher-income areas, limiting access for immigrant communities. As a result, residents appropriate informal spaces within the park for tai chi, group dancing, and social gathering. This project reimagines the park as a continuous wellness landscape guided by the body’s natural rhythm from day to night. Inspired by the circle as a symbol of reunion and harmony, a meandering elevated trail weaves through the park’s topography, connecting programs while creating flexible platforms for movement, rest, and reflection. Through lighting and circulation, the design extends wellness into the evening, transforming the park into a 24-hour pulse of community life.
