Alex is high energy, and his drive was infectious for kids hungry to experience the satisfaction of participation in a process that brings a tangible, built installation to life: something they can actually climb around on, and hang out underneath: what they nicknamed, “chill spots.” But way before the “chill spots” were constructed in front of the Chattanooga Public Library in conjunction with the wrap-up of the AIA Convention, these kids spent days getting comfortable with power tools and familiar with the collaborative process of imagining together what they wanted to build given their possibilities and limitations.

Teal Thibaud came out to join one of the kids’ building groups as they played with what shapes bore weight, and could reach the highest pinnacle. She has been impressed with Public Workshop, based in Philadelphia, for a while now, and enjoyed working and playing with a person whose mission so closely aligns with that of Glass House Collective. “The mixture of bringing some degree of vision and structure to these kids, mixed with an openness to allow them to discover and give input along the way is really key,” she says. “It’s so affirming of the groundwork Studio Everything is laying, while infusing some fresh perspective and ideas as well.”

Rondell Crier, Studio Everything’s mastermind, was out working with Alex also, and brought him into the studio at various points to meet some of the GHC kids who have been gradually learning to responsibly employ similar tools and processes, rather than just talk about abstract notions of “collaboration” and “design.” It’s been another strong reminder that our neighborhood youth are ready to lend their voices and hands at every level of the place-making process.

We echo the clear message they caught from Alex: this is your city: build it.

• Be sure to scroll down Public Workshop’s Facebook Page  for super affirming comments about Glass House Collective and Studio Everything. Thanks Alex!
• Browse our GHC Facebook Album displaying the process that went into designing and building the “chill spots.”

The eight plans will be shared and discussed with East Chattanooga residents, who will refine and build on the schemes presented to create a district-wide streetscape and public space plan that will provide a roadmap to a brighter future on Glass Street.

Media:

NBC News
Chattanooga Times Free Press
News Channel 12
News Chanel 3

Photo album can be found here.

The eight plans will be shared and discussed with East Chattanooga residents, who will refine and build on the schemes presented to create a district-wide streetscape and public space plan that will provide a roadmap to a brighter future on Glass Street.

Media:

NBC News
Chattanooga Times Free Press
News Channel 12
News Chanel 3

Photo album can be found here.

Each of the teams took a unique approach to neighborhood revitalization and pitching the following ideas: Replicating the Better Block program, which helps owners of vacant buildings market their retail space by allowing artists, craftspeople, and others to use the space for events that can span in length from a weekend to a few months;”Glass Street Gospel”, a program organized around the increased foot traffic on Sundays; ways to turn a nearby creek into green water reclamation; and extending the “safe street” zone near the elementary school to the business district. Many of the teams’ plans tackled Glass Street’s biggest obstacles. Bus shelters were aimed at taking the edge off some of the problems with the accessibility and efficiency of public transit. Community gardens and farmers markets would give area residents a convenient place to buy groceries, easing the challenges of living in a food desert. Clearly marked crosswalks, textured pavement, bike lanes, trees, and new traffic signals could make pedestrian traffic safer and slow cars down. Parks and playgrounds were included in majority of the plans to bring residents together in family-friendly spaces.

The next step is to present the eight plans to East Chattanooga residents through neighborhood associations meetings and other meetings Glass House plans to host. Glass Street locals will discuss which plans they want to collectively put into action. Because the plans were designed to be cheap, quick, and simple to produce, they will be some of the first steps Glass House Collective takes to bringing new life to the neighborhood.

Some common themes appeared as the teams brainstormed, including the need for better access to food and community gardens, the possibility of water features and parks, and ways to emphasize the area’s history. Several teams agreed that revitalization starts by slowing down car traffic, increasing foot traffic, and making Glass Street a destination point.

What is really exciting about this collaboration with AIA is that these plans will give us a roadmap to share with the neighborhood residents and business leaders and start discussions about how they would like their neighborhood to grow. The process begins, and will succeed, with the energy and enthusiasm of community involvement.

The workshops have already generated a lot of excitement in the community. Turnout was greater than expected, which was a wonderful surprise. Several participants were tweeting photos and live updates on our Twitter using the hashtag #AIAonGlass). Nooga.com and News Channel 12 came by and covered the event today as well. Tomorrow, each team will have a chance to share their ideas with the public at a special presentation at the Chattanooga Trade and Convention Center.

Participants will be briefed on the history of the neighborhood before the workshops. From this introduction, participants will work on teams comprised of local experts, facilitators, and community leaders to create new ideas for the community to rally behind. After just three hours these teams will have developed plans of action into presentations to be shared at the Chattanooga Trade and Convention Center on Thursday, July 26th.

Big picture change can be overwhelming, so we’ve asked these teams to provide simple places to start. Out of each team’s larger vision for revitalization, there will be three near-term elements that we can implement fairly quickly. We hope these ideas will jump start community driven change. After this event, we will be striking up conversations within the community about the results from the AIA workshop, so that local residents can pick and choose the elements they want included in Glass Street’s transformation. In other words, this isn’t the only opportunity for engagement– instead, it’s just the beginning. We invite you to join us in these first steps on July 26th at the Chattanooga Trade and Convention Center from 3:30-5:00 PM.

As Mohney explains, “After we modeled most of Chattanooga in 2010, the city was visible to a global audience who could, for the first time ever, experience a self-guided virtual tour of our vibrant and revitalized downtown. Once Glass Street is live in Earth, anyone with an internet connection can visit the area on Google’s 3D platform and begin to see what this forgotten corridor has to offer moving forward. Architects, designers, and artists can then use these models as a tool to initiate a redesign of Glass Street, with the hope of recreating the revitalization success of downtown Chattanooga.”

With Market3D and Glass Street 3D, it will be easier than ever to see how Glass Street fits in to the larger fabric of the city, as a commercial strand connecting vital new development with beloved residential areas.