LIMES
NEW YORK, 2025
Alumbra was selected by the NYC DOT Art Program, which partners community-based nonprofit organizations and professional artists to present temporary public artwork across New York City. After eight months of project management and in-depth research, we collaborated with neighborhood creatives to activate an underused pedestrian plaza in Little Caribbean.
Why?
NYC DOT Art partners with community-based nonprofit organizations and professional artists to install temporary public artwork on NYC DOT infrastructure throughout the five boroughs. In this case, our goal was to transform a public space in Brooklyn by joining forces with IamCaribbeing, a community organization dedicated to celebrating and amplifying Caribbean culture and lifestyle while supporting local businesses. Together, we identified a strong need for spaces that serve and uplift the immigrant community.
Where?
The project site is a pedestrian plaza located at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Empire Boulevard. This is a busy, high-traffic area characterized by noise and constant movement. Prior to the intervention, the plaza felt uninviting and functioned primarily as a transitional pedestrian space rather than a place to gather.
How?
LABORATORY:
LEARNING
EXPERIENCES
The laboratory took place at the IamCaribbeing store through a hands-on workshop where neighbors, artists, and community members came together to share stories, map memories, and imagine safer, more welcoming public spaces in Brooklyn. Rooted in collective vision and local care, participants created vibrant patterns inspired by Caribbean identities, which would later take shape in the streetscape.
COLLECTIVE
CREATION
What was once an underused corner now reflects the heart of Little Caribbean as a place to gather, rest, and celebrate community.
The pipe-structure benches were installed by a skilled technical team, while community members were invited to paint the concrete bases and intervene in the chain-link fences with colorful patterns co-designed during the workshop. These designs later became vibrant shade shelters.
What?
PLACEMAKING
In Caribbean slang, limes means to hang out. More than urban furniture, LIMES is an open invitation to connect and reclaim public space.
The sun becomes both an ally and a storyteller, illuminating woven fences with translucent colors that shift throughout the day. These ever-changing patterns infuse the space with joy, presence, and a shared identity.
Light exists where
fear has no place.
IamCaribbeing will further activate the plaza through a series of public programs, including night markets that promote local commerce, as well as gastronomic and cultural events highlighting the community’s unique talents. In addition, the caribBEING House—a shipping container that will serve as a meeting space, art gallery, and gift shop—will soon be installed in the plaza. Together, these elements will complement the LIMES benches, creating a vibrant hub where people can experience the plaza in new and meaningful ways.
Who?
Brianna (participant)
Light can mean so many things but overall I think light is what wakes you up literally and metaphorically!
Jewel (participant)
Depending on the usage of light, a different story can be told.
María (from the Little Caribbean community)
Light is a powerful tool that affects people's mood and also nourishes our body and soul. It is synonymous with new beginnings as in the dawn of day and can be a weapon against fear and sadness.
Dawn (from the Little Caribbean community)
[The space] has so much potential, but it is a very busy intersection and needs a designated space for people to sit and be. Something a bit sheltered was such a great idea!
Thanks to the participants:)
And to our amazing technical team: Mathias, Marc & Khaled.
ALUMBRA is a project by Colectivo Barrio
Iniciativa Ciudadana para el Desarrollo Barrial A.C.
