2022 Board Choice Award
Community Impact
Sankofa Park African Burial Ground Commemorative Landscape
Brooklyn, New York
Landscape Architect:
New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
Project Team:
Cultural Resource Specialist : Hartgen Archeological Associates, Inc.
Cultural Landscape Architect: EKLA, PLLC

About the Project:
With extensive community input from a multi-year engagement process, this project
re-imagines a present-day playground to address historic inequities and provide the New Lots community a cultural hub. The site design responds to community desires, to recognize and commemorate the sacred nature of the site by creating spaces for reflection and learning, while maintaining an active recreation area. The commemorative, eastern side will be comprised of a passive area to the north side for reflection and an education area to the south side for learning. The playground reconstruction includes new play equipment, basketball courts, seating, paving, fencing, ornamental planting beds, utility improvements, and new security lighting. All work will improve accessibility, sustainability, and upgrade infrastructure.