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Interdisciplinary design studio
led by Sasha Topolnytska
in New York City
Project with Open Architecture/NY for The Black Feminist Project
South Bronx, NY, USA
2020
Project Coordinator: Sasha Topolnytska
Team: Ann Ascherman & Dong Eun Lim
Community engagement, architecture & landscape design
Black Joy Farm was a project to create a more functional, efficient, and identity-driven farm layout for The Black Feminist Project. The design process began with a thorough site analysis and close collaboration with the founders to establish core goals for the new farm plan. From this, multiple layout options of varying scales and complexities were developed, enabling flexibility for the organization to select the most suitable outcome based on budget and capacity. Each option enhances agricultural efficiency while also transforming the site into a welcoming, multifunctional environment through architectural interventions that support community gathering and engagement.
Located in the South Bronx, NY, Black Joy Farm is a liberated farm that grows and distributes hundreds of pounds of food to local communities. It was founded by The Black Feminist Project, a mission-driven collective dedicated to enriching lives and restoring agency, justice, joy, and health to Black womxn, girls, non-men (MaGes), and the children they care for—with a special focus on mother-led families. The new layout seeks not only to expand the farm’s productivity but also to embody its ethos of care, liberation, and resilience, allowing the space itself to reflect the values of those who cultivate it.