Give and Take is a synthesis of ideas about urban food production, sustainable building practice, and housing that includes the elderly and handicapped. The project proposes a new prototype for urban land use by encompassing residential units around private and collective urban agricultural space. An on-site master gardener/farmer coordinates with the residents to care for the central farm. Nurturing the crops from seeds to produce sold at the market place.
Give and Take is envisioned for a site located in downtown Durham, NC. Traditionally, this site would hold 8-12 houses with private fenced-in lawns, and little to no community interaction. Give and Take turns this pattern upside down. By embracing higher density, using every part of the land for food production and social activity, and reaching out to the greater community through a marketplace, Give and Take serves as a model for a new way to build our communities.