Glass House Collective hosts Project For Public Spaces workshop

Glass House Collective is excited to welcome the Project For Public Spaces’ International Placemaking Week to Chattanooga, October 1-4, 2019.  This will be an incredible opportunity for anyone who cares about the shared public spaces in all of our neighborhoods to hear from and interact with peers and catalysts from all around the world.

The multi-day event will be a “conference without walls” with an over arching theme of equity and inclusion. This presents an amazing chance for Glass House Collective to convene attendees for a mobile workshop on Glass Street that builds on our seven years of new urbanism tactics in East Chattanooga.

Placemaking professionals from around the globe have been invited to join GHC, local artists, Glass Farm residents and Glass Street business owners, as well as several of our innovative partners, for an honest and laser-focused charrette to revive the commercial corridor.

Using GHC’s own Next Big Thing urbanism workshop framework, we’re asking some of the field’s brightest minds to collaborate with our collective and craft a phased vision for commercial spaces now under renovation along the historic corridor. The facilitated session will be anchored in the following guiding principles of placekeeping: inclusivity, accountability, phased and catalytic work, and resident-led equitable development. Together we’ll look at business viability, quality public spaces, access to health choices and relevant services, zoning options, and increased tools for community organizing and engagement.

Participating teams will be asked to leverage existing assets in the community– physical places (‘bones’), existing businesses, and built environment, as well as its individuals, organizations, and earlier accomplishments.

“While there is still work to be done, it is important to build upon and add value to what currently exists, and think about how we can create ideas that are creative, realistic, and scalable within 1 month, 1 year, and 3 year timeframes.” said GHC’s executive director and co-founder, Teal Thibaud.

In keeping with Glass House Collective’s core values, we envision a productive and honest charrette that develops strategies that are realistic, measurable, and supportive of the neighborhood’s culture and values.  We are also so grateful for this opportunity for our community to spend time with an amazing group of planners and creatives as we consider new ways for improved urbanism to have a positive impact on the neighborhood we love.

We look forward to hosting everyone for The Next Big Thing Urbanism Workshop: Business Development Charrette on Tuesday, October 1 during Placemaking Week.

About Placemaking Week 2019