Urban Studio: Design Works

The Stage is Set for an Outdoor Community Center on North Broad

jen G. — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 04:20:52 +0000

Urban Studio has teamed-up with The African American United Fund to transform a vacant lot into an outdoor community center. The 2500 square-foot lot is located at 2229 N. Broad Street (just above Susquehanna), and is propitiously situated between two AAUF properties.

The adjacent buildings provide valuable resources for constructing and maintaining the space; such as running water, two roofs from which to collect storm water, two walls for vertical gardening and murals, electricity, restroom facilities & office space.

The lot is currently inhabited by two mature Mulberry trees, which in turn support a diverse population of plants and animals at the site.

Mulberry trees also yield a wide array of products: bark for paper, branches for baskets, leaves for silkfarms, roots for medicine, and berries for food and fabric dye.

Our collective priorities are to preserve, cultivate and celebrate this habitat. Thanks to the generous support of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the Philadelphia Zoo and the Department of Public Health, our plans have taken root.

Pending the installation of a wooden deck, AAUF will open an income-generating, mixed-use, open-air venue available for exhibits, workshops, meetings, markets, ceremonies, performances, parties, etc.

Our hope is that this project will inspire and promote work of this kind throughout the community; by cultivating an interest in the benefits of green spaces, urban gardening, nutrition and sustainability.

US Visits Revolution Recovery

adahlgren — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:40:47 +0000

Urban Studio met with Avi Golen of Revolution Recovery (formerly known as Construction Waste Management). We left our meeting feeling energized and inspired after a tour and brief meeting of their current and future facilities. As our projects develop we will be finding ways to create projects, temporary and permanent, using the many resources being diverted and collected.

“Construction Waste Management (CWM) is a full service recycling company focused on the building industry. Our Goal is to recycle construction waste, keeping it from landfills and delivering it to end markets. Our commitment is to save builders money by doing so.”

US to Begin Work With The Village of Arts and Humanities

adahlgren — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 22:31:57 +0000

Urban Studio met with Lansie Sylvia and Elizabeth Grimaldi of The Village of Arts and Humanities. We discussed doing several rain collection installations. Over the next few weeks we will develop a plan and designs that will engage people in the community during design, installation, and use. As the projects develop we hope to hold workshops to show individuals and business owners how to install their own systems as well as partner with local organizations to do job training while installing our demonstration systems.

“The Village of Arts and Humanities (the Village) is a multifaceted arts organization dedicated to community revitalization through the arts. The need for a new urban landscape in 1986, spawned the Village of North Philadelphia.”

Urban Studio Presents at PHS 2010 Green Skills Conference

adahlgren — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 02:36:30 +0000

On Saturday January 30, 2010 Urban Studio participated in the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s 2010 Green Skills Conference. We presented our initial research, findings, and a sampling of design concepts currently being developed as part of our Rain Collection for Philly Row Homes project. Our presentation was part of a larger info session about rain barrels. Also in this session was a how to make your own rain barrel video produced by PHS. Please review our design concepts and let us know what you think. We are currently refining our ideas and hope to have a new rain barrel kit that is appropriate for Philadelphia row home architecture and spaces available for purchase this summer.