Marginality and redemption in New York City, alternative landscapes for Rikers Island

By 2027, Rikers Island, located in the Bronx Borough, is set to undergo a historic transformation, marking a significant step toward its closure. Although it has served the criminal justice system by housing NYC prisons since 1935, there is a potential for a more productive approach. Rikers Island could become a catalyst for reducing historical and systematic injustice, thereby lowering the recidivism rate in the Bronx.

This project aims to convert one of the Bronx’s weaknesses—its prevalence of marginal spaces—into a strength. In this transition, Rikers will repurpose prison-building materials to revitalize more than 2400 categorized marginal areas in the Bronx. This initiative will gradually restore biodiversity while coexisting harmoniously with humans and compensating for urban shortcomings.