West Philly’s Lancaster Avenue corridor, also known as the New Freedom District, is now home to a blossoming community garden planned, built, and executed by PennPraxis’ Studio+ initiative at Weitzman School of Design. Working alongside community leaders like Abdul Rahim Muhammad, who pioneered the New Freedom District, the Lex Street Garden came to life as a collaborative effort between students, staff, and neighborhood residents to honor the area’s Civil Rights heritage.
“It was about giving a place for the community that they can be proud of and that they can cherish,” said dual-degree architecture and landscape architecture student Chanju Yang, who worked on the project. “This place has a long history.”
“I feel like it’s very welcoming,” added Martin Boyd, owner of a gym adjacent to the garden. “To see it come alive is just really amazing.”