Take a design journey through the South Bronx
South Bronx
The South Bronx was historically home to many industrial factories that are now repurposed largely as creative studios. The area’s rich history, walkability, and proximity to Manhattan has made it a desirable area for designers to build their practices. Mott Haven, Melrose, and Port Morris are booming with makers, cultural institutions, shops, and restaurants, all contributing to the neighborhood’s creative renaissance.
Bronx Native is a retail space devoted to Bronx-themed apparel, art and media that was created to showcase the rich history and culture of the Bronx. Siblings Amaurys and Roselyn Grullon founded the shop to expose the borough's strength, beauty, and ambition and has become an icon of culture and community support. Every wall of the boutique is "taggable", allowing customers to make their mark on the store, and the space is often host to events like Open Mic nights. In addition to their local fame, the shop also has a broader following, leading to partnerships with well-known figures like New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and large companies like Netflix.
Bronx Native
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Monday-Saturday: 12pm-7pm
Sunday: 12pm-5pm
Jerome Lamaar, born and raised in the Bronx, started his career at the age of 15 and quickly became a trendsetter traveling the globe to contribute and guide some of the world’s leading brands. In 2015 he opened a luxury pop-up boutique in the South Bronx called 9J, which shifted the image of the Bronx by showcasing art, music, design and new thought. LaMaar sits as the youngest trustee on the board for The Bronx Museum of Art and also acted as the lead Creative Director & Designer for the super successful 2020 launch of Beyonce's Ivy Park x Adidas collection.
Jerome LaMaar
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Photography by: Jenna Bascom
The Bronx Documentary Center (BDC) is a non-profit gallery and educational space located in Melrose, one of New York City’s fastest growing neighborhoods. Through exhibitions, screenings, and public programming, BDC shows the work of internationally-renowned and emerging photographers and filmmakers that focus on themes of justice, education, community-building, and positive social change. BDC also provides free education programs for middle and high school students and a professional education program for historically underrepresented adult Bronx-based photographers. By carving out a unique arts space, the BDC seeks to encourage Bronx residents to participate in the vibrant culture of Melrose and beyond.
Bronx Documentary Center
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Jake Szymanski is a maker and designer of one of a kind furniture and objects. The Mott Haven studio, founded in 2016, introduces radical new shapes and demonstrates a fascination with unique geometries, raw materials, and unusual forms. Jake’s early design practice was inspired by his years living in Nepal and Spain and often visits to Morocco. Jake returned to the USA to study interior design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and the School of Visual Arts, and now, in addition to his own design work, he has become an advocate for the South Bronx design community as a whole.
JM Szymanski
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The passion project of legendary Graffiti pioneer CRASH and entrepreneur Robert Kantor, WallWorks New York is a contemporary art gallery in the South Bronx, dedicated to bringing art back uptown. In the vein of Fashion MODA, WallWorks is committed to showcasing new and exciting art from both emerging and established artists, mixing "downtown" sensibility with "uptown" style; a place for exploration.
WallWorks New York
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Coined one of New York’s best kept secrets, Custom Design Studio has been serving the NYC area for over 30 years, offering custom furniture services, furniture upholstery, reupholstery, wall upholstery, window treatments, and pillow/cushion covers and inserts. Founded by Denise Ramirez and Enrique Cruz in 1988, the studio is loved by locals, producing design work for both residential and commercial clients.
Images sourced from www.customdesignny.com
Custom Design Studio
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Founded in 2019 by Noëlle Santos, The Lit. Bar is currently the only independent bookstore in the Bronx. With its unique spin on book shopping, The Lit. Bar serves as both a bookstore and wine bar. The shop encourages curious readers and welcomes literary and community gatherings–while the wine bar connects the great pastimes of social sipping and introverted reading. The Lit. Bar offers a carefully curated selection of general interest books, gift items, and programming which emphasize local interest and diversity for all ages.
The Lit. Bar
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Images sourced from www.thelitbar.com
Founded by Tiffany Gomez, Gomez Design Studio is a small business that began with the vision of building furniture and functional art made entirely from salvaged and recycled materials. Located in the Port Morris section of the Bronx, Gomez Design Studio takes a sustainable approach, only using found materials as the foundation of what is created.
Over the last year, Tiffany has been developing various collections and objects that aim to challenge societal norms outside of the current re-use trend. Her approach has become more human-forward and tactile, allowing the customer to be a part of her process. Workshops and educational programs have been integrated into her mission in hopes of establishing greater community involvement for a more sustainable future through design.
Gomez Design Studio
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Photography by: Jenna Bascom
Founded by Andrew and Jane Daines in 2019, Chassie is a design studio that creates custom desks, standing desks, and everythin in between. With the vision to help people bring more creativity and passion to their life's work, Chassie fabricates all of their desks from their Bronx studio, where they collaborate with artists to create one-of-a-kind surface designs.
Chassie
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May 13-15: 12pm-5pm
May 17-18: By appointment only.
Email hello@chassie.com or call 3478306020 to schedule time.
Images courtesy of Rafael Vinoly Architects
Designed by Rafael Viñoly Architects, The Bronx County Hall of Justice stands prominently on its two-block site facing East 161st Street near the borough’s Grand Concourse. The building houses 47 court parts, seven grand jury rooms, and administrative office suites for contract agencies and the District Attorney.
Bronx County Hall of Justice
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Centro Cultural El Rincón Criollo is New York City’s oldest “casita" founded by Jose Manuel Soto, also known as “Don Chema”, a Puerto Rican from the South Bronx. Reclaimed in the late 1970s as a site for neighbors to gather, garden, hold community events and pass down musical and cultural traditions, the little house at 158th Street, between Brook and 3rd Avenues is reminiscent of the Puerto Rican countryside. Durinig a visit to El Rincón Criollo you can expect to hear locals playing folk rhythms of “Bomba” and “Plena”, singing, and telling stories.
Centro Cultural El Rincón Criollo
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Photo credit: David Sundberg/Esto and Vanni Archive
Via Verde—The Green Way, built by Dattner Architects and Grimshaw is a model for future subsidized housing in New York City, reflecting a commitment to social equity and sustainability. The winning entry in the New Housing New York Legacy Competition, it was developed by Phipps Houses and Jonathan Rose Company and reflects a public commitment to create the next generation of social housing. An affordable residential development in the South Bronx, Via Verde offers all its residents access desirable spaces like a central courtyard, rooftop garden, and community room, providing healthy, urban living to all.
Via Verde - The Green Way
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Want to explore these locations by foot?
Visit our Google map of South Bronx to begin your journey.
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The Self-Guided Journey platform was developed and curated by Valerie Hoffman and Maya Bayram. Written content for the Soho & Tribeca, Long Island City, St. George, Mott Haven, and Southwest Brooklyn maps is by Spoorthi Satheesh. As the Crow Walks' Patra Jongjitirat created the map illustrations. Carlos Dominguez and David Timoteo were involved with the design. James Eades, Steven Wisley, and Stephanie Couture, captured and edited the video content, and Samantha Sager was instrumental in the realization of this project.