A PLACE TO STAY: BUILDING WITH COMMUNITY NOT OVER IT

Abstract

How can infrastructure respond to discrimination, unhealthy living conditions, and community disinvestment–without triggering displacement? Gentrification and inequitable urban renewal displace vulnerable populations, dissolve cultural identities, and reduce access to safe, supportive spaces, perpetuating cycles of inequality. This thesis explores how infrastructure can advance equitable urban development through three themes: inclusive development, empowerment, and resiliency. Through interdisciplinary research, expert consultations, and community engagement in Langley Park, Maryland, the project identifies strategies that promote community stability while addressing systemic inequities in the built environment. Guided by five core principles–healthy living, diversity, flexibility, identity, and environmental awareness–the design proposes a phased, people-centered development model anchored by Market Street and a resilience hub. Market Street supports economic mobility and entrepreneurship, while the hub provides layered systems of care, connection, and recovery for daily life and times of disruption. All programmatic elements are shaped by community priorities and tested through developed personas. The result is a replicable approach to equitable urban regeneration, demonstrating how infrastructure supports inclusion, continuity, and resilience, without displacing communities.