{Bayview Neighborhood, circa 2014}
Heart Haus was inspired by the ancient greek agora, a centrally located easily accessible public gathering space where artists, craftsman, athletes, philosophers, merchants, politicians and citizens came to exchange goods, services and ideas. The agora captured the pulse of this developing democratic society and came to be known as the Heart of the City.
Heart Haus Beta was an experiment to redevelop an underutilized and dilapidated house and see if we could transform it into a nano-agora which would become a resource hub for the neighborhood by utilizing urban agriculture, public art and community gatherings.
Jokingly we referred Heart Haus as:
“A boys and girls club for adults.”
Two years later over 3,000 visitors from ten different countries walked through our doors participating in DIY classes, farm tours, community events and Airbnb stays.
On May 1st, 2016, in celebration of International Day of the Worker, a community created Peace Post designed in collaboration with elder artist Muneer Bahauddeen was installed in our front yard garden.
In conclusion, we realized that although 325 East Euclid Avenue provided the “hardware” for our experiment, Heart Haus was a cultural “software” and way of being. Not just a product, but also a process that encompassed place and space. The time had come for Heart Haus Software to take a South American Sabbatical for prototype testing with its lead programer, NAViG8R.
