Our Picks: The 8th Annual DesignPhiladelphia
For the eighth year running, the citywide design week known as DesignPhiladelphia has started to spread design-minded education and art throughout the area.
More than 120 events are featured over the course of five days, showcasing the work of more than 400 national and international creative thinkers.
Below is a handful of our picks for the socially-minded, all of which are free to the public. Check out the full schedule here.
Philadelphia’s Green Affordable Housing Tour
When: Thursday, October 11th from 4pm to 5:45pm
Where: Connelly House, 1212 Ludlow Street
Making affordable housing green benefits the environment, significantly cuts costs for the homeowner, and helps build sustainable neighborhoods. Join the Office of Housing and Community Development for a bus tour of recently completed and under construction developments with green and blue roofs, permeable paving, solar hot water systems, and sustainable features reducing stormwater and heat island impacts. Meet the developers, architects, and government officials making Philadelphia the “greenest city in America” through affordable housing development.
Philadelphia’s Mega Museums: Iconic Forms Over Function? The Architects Newspaper
When: Thursday, October 11th at 5:30pm
Where: The Rosenbach Museum & Library, 2008-2012 Delancey Place
Several new cultural projects are underway in the city, including the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s expansion by Frank Gehry and a proposed Museum of the American Revolution by A.M. Stern. As Philly rides this next museum wave, a panel from the worlds of architecture, public policy, media, and cultural institutions will weigh in on the trend. Featuring Rosenbach Museum and Library Director Derick Dreher, Philadelphia Inquirer architecture critic Inga Saffron, Slought Foundation Executive Director Aaron Levy, and Peter Frumkin, PhD, Faculty Director of the Center for High Impact Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania.
Sustainable Streets Scavenger Hunt
When: Saturday, October 13th from 11am to 3:30pm
Where: Columbus Square Recreation Center, 1200 Wharton Street
From green streets to complete streets, Philadelphia is re-imagining how its streets should be designed. Join the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities and the Philadelphia Water Department for a sustainable scavenger hunt. Participants will be able to explore some of the city’s most innovative street design features, from those that reduce storm-water overflow to those that protect Philadelphians as they cross, drive, or ride down the urban corridors. High-scoring teams will be eligible to win prizes, including a bicycle rack and rain-barrel at a follow-up happy hour at Los Caballitos at 3:30.
Community Garden Design
When: Saturday, October 13th from 10am to 11am
Where: Passyunk Gardens, Wharton and Passyunk Avenue
The Passyunk Square Civic Association invites locals to a guided tour of some of the unique features of Harry O’s Passyunk Gardens, including the green roof, tall raised beds, and flower wall. Following the tour, a discussion will be led about how to start a community garden, introducing participants to tools for mapping out a growing season and covering the challenges and benefits of different models for operating a community garden.
Design VIADUCTgreene
When: Saturday, October 13th from 3pm to 5pm
Where: Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill Street
Through the Community Design Collaborative, VIADUCTgreene has teamed up with OLIN, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, CVM, and VJ Associates to develop conceptual designs for a 3-block stretch of what could become a 3-mile linear park connecting many neighborhoods to Fairmount Park. VIADUCTgreene wants community input and encourages community members to bring ideas and join a discussion about the potential of this civic space.
The Switched-On Garden
When: Sunday, October 14th from 2pm to 8pm
Where: Bartram’s Garden, 54th St. & Lindberg Blvd
Data Garden invites guests to the oldest surviving botanic garden in North America for an interactive exhibition exploring the relationship between plants, music, and technology. Participants will have the opportunity to wander Bartram’s Garden and connect with their natural environment through live music, performance, and sculpture that blurs the distinction between biological and digital worlds.
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