MARLBORO PLAYSCAPE
Clients: Community Housing Fund, New York City Housing Authority, and Center for Justice Innovation
Partners: Corkeen, Field Form, iFIXX NYC
Location: Marlboro Houses: 2800 86th St, Brooklyn, NY 11223
Services: Community Engagement, Design, Fabrication, and Installation
Featured in: New York Times, Fast Company Magazine, NY Post, Brooklyn Paper, and more..
The Marlboro Green Space Connections project is a multi-sensory, programmable playscape at Marlboro Houses, a New York Public Housing Development, in Brooklyn, NY. The project was co-designed with the Marlboro House community to serve as an intergenerational place to connect, wonder, and grow together. From early conversations about the desires and hopes for the entire area, to the final design of the park spaces, the community gifted their stories, experiences, feedback, and more to shape every component of the project. Prior to the project, the green spaces at Marlboro were underutilized and frequently affected by stormwater flooding. Through the co-design process, the community identified the need for a space that could serve not only as a welcoming gathering place but also as a sustainable landscape strategy that helps manage stormwater while supporting everyday community life. The space becomes a multisensory journey that winds through the existing tree-lined promenades, inviting residents to reconnect with the natural landscape of Marlboro Houses. The park spans nearly 7,000 sqft and two areas of the development, strengthening connections between already active communal spaces, including the resident-run community garden and the Marlboro Community Center.
“The newly opened green space at Marlboro Houses is a great example of how New York City is leading the way on community driven sustainable design and climate resilience through public private partnerships.”
At the heart of the project is a series of multifunctional playable artworks that line the pathways and define different zones throughout the landscape. These sensory structures create opportunities for gathering, play, performance, exercise, rest, learning, and discovery. Rather than prescribing a single use, each piece encourages open-ended interaction, allowing residents of all ages to interpret and inhabit the space in their own ways. Together, the artworks transform the park into a sequence of playful moments that invite exploration and connection.
As the path weaves through both locations, it integrates small rain gardens, pollinator plantings, and ecological landscaping elements co-designed with Field Form, a Brooklyn-based landscape studio. Together these strategies support the site's broader ecological health while also helping manage stormwater across the development.
The experience of the artworks unfolds through a playful narrative centered around a squirrel character. Throughout the park, the squirrel appears interacting with the structures and sensory elements while encountering other animal friends along the way. These characters reflect the Marlboro community’s strong sense of family and shared experience, subtly guiding visitors through the landscape and suggesting how each area can be explored and enjoyed. By following the animals, users are invited to move through the site in an intuitive and engaging way.
Together, these elements transform the Marlboro green spaces into a landscape of curiosity, connection, and shared discovery. What was once an underutilized area affected by flooding has become a living environment where ecology, play, and storytelling intertwine. Rooted in the voices and ideas of Marlboro residents, the project invites people of all ages to wander, gather, and explore—strengthening relationships not only with the landscape, but with one another.
“This project gave us the opportunity to come together and advocate for ourselves. Provided an opportunity for us to shape the space we wanted and need. ”
