Title: Hayti Reborn
Location of Proejct: Durham, NC
Project Completion Date: N/A
Firm Name: EVOKE Studio

Short Description: Hayti Reborn aims to systematically close racial wealth gaps by becoming a shining example of equity in the City of Durham. Hayti Reborn intentionally builds on the legacy of Durham’s Hayti Community, which was razed in the late 1960s via a freeway system, to become the world’s first equitable research and development park. Located in the heart of the Historic Hayti Community, Hayti Reborn emerges from the scar of Urban Renewal on African Americans in Durham-Fayette Place Housing development. This approximately 20-acre parcel was home to various black owned businesses and single-family homes prior to the Durham Freeway (HWY147) arrival.

Architect's Statement: Hayti Reborn is the first phase of the Durham Global Equity Project, which aims to systematically close racial wealth gaps by creating global networks of equitable cities. Hayti Reborn intentionally builds on the legacy of Durham’s Hayti Community to become the world’s first equitable research and development park. Located in the heart of the Historic Hayti Community, Hayti Reborn emerges from the scar of Urban Renewal on African Americans in Durham-Fayette Place Housing development. This approximately 20-acre parcel was home to various black owned businesses and single-family homes prior to the Durham Freeway (HWY147) arrival.

This development also aims to be a good steward of the environment using intensive vegetated roofs, photo-voltaic arrays, stormwater treatment interventions, and incorporation of natural habitats. By building on the legacy and history of the Hayti Community of Durham, Hayti Reborn will demonstrate that racial and economic equity is essential for prosperity, innovation, and peace, not only for African Americans but for all people.