Notes from the Field: Summer 2024–Golden Hammers, Youth Advocacy and DesignRVA

Storefront for Community Design inspires equitable community-driven design through our innovative education programs including low-cost design and planning assistance and design workshops.

THE golden hammers awards 2024 are open!

These awards were created in 2000 with a goal of honoring excellence in neighborhood revitalization projects throughout Greater Richmond. Storefront for Community Design and Historic Richmond will partner for a seventh year to host the awards program to recognize professionals and community members improving our neighborhoods through restoration, adaptive reuse, new construction, placemaking, urban design, and historic preservation.

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Design Session | Design and Planning Assistance

We provide community members with affordable design and planning assistance at an approachable level through one-on-one advice, conceptual sketches, and plans of action from volunteer professionals. Learn more about Design Session.

Tactical Urbanism for speed safety

How do you slOoOw down? This past semester, we got to work with our very own mOb studio alumni, Lucy Bolin, during her internship at the Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility (OETM) who asked @middleofbroadstudio to come up with ideas rooted in tactical urbanism to reduce speeds and increase transit safety in high need areas. Check out the OETM’s whole plan at rvaconnects.com.

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Tactical Urbanism concepts for the OETM’s Richmond Connect’s “Lighter, Quicker, Cheaper” plan.

The mOb studio team presenting their concepts in class

Design Workshops | City Builders

We convene project-based learning opportunities focusing on real-world issues in the built environment and encourage youth and young adults to discover and design solutions that create effective change in their lives and communities. Learn more about City Builders Design Workshop.

City Builders summer

design workshops

Armstrong Leadership Workshop:

We kicked off the summer with a dynamic one-day workshop in collaboration with Armstrong Leadership students. The workshop engaged participants in a design challenge, encouraging them to think creatively about a commercial property in their neighborhood.

Gilpin Conservation Corps advocate for safety infrastructure at the Charles S. Gilpin Garden:

A significant highlight of our summer was our involvement with the Gilpin Conservation Corps at the Charles S. Gilpin Garden. Led by Danielle, our Design Lead, students engaged in maintaining and improving this vital green space. They received education on safety infrastructure and were empowered to identify local issues and advocate for solutions at City Hall. This initiative equipped youth with valuable advocacy skills and is a powerful example of civic engagement.

Special Thanks to our partners at the Office of Equitable Transit and Mobility for hosting a mock city Council meeting for the youth to practice. And to Kinfolk Community for collaborating with Storefront to educate and engage youth through civic engagement.

Design interns

Design interns riding the GRTC PULSE

We kicked off with a design charrette to reconfigure Storefront’s office

This summer, we welcomed three interns from the Mayor’s Youth Academy and two from Partnership for the Future. These young adults have been exploring various careers in design, gaining hands-on experience, and contributing to our programs. Our interns have had the opportunity to explore several iconic spaces in our city, transforming the city itself into a classroom and learning more about how to use spaces.

They visited Urban Hang Suite, The Branch Museum, The ICA, and Common House each providing unique insights into urban design, interior design, and architectural history.

Special thanks to our Design volunteers Sabiya Davis, Stephanie Hernandez Diaz, Mecca Harris, and Danielle Worthing Porter for providing our interns with professional expertise in your fields!

City Builders selected to attend Virginia Tech Inside Design & Architecture camp!

Through a collaborative partnership with Virginia Tech, a pair of our former City Builders participants had the incredible opportunity to attend the Inside Design and Architecture program at Virginia Tech. This immersive experience was led by Hanbury Community Design Laboratory designers and took students on a deep dive into the fields of design and architecture for a 1st year student. Through hands-on workshops, lectures, and studio projects students explored concepts and techniques in architecture. 

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Thank you for coming out to DesignRVA!

The second annual DesignRVA was a fantastic time!

Thank you so much to our amazing event host, Seven Hills School, partners, exhibit hosts, Advisory Council, Board and the many, many volunteers that make this event possible!

In case you missed it, DesignRVA is our annual community day that introduces youth and their families to the design of our region. Through interactive activities led by community-based organizations and design professionals, youth explore and learn about their role in the creation and improvement of the places where we all live, learn, work, and play.

“ “If I could change anything in my community…it would be less stuff that emits fossil fuels into the air.””

— Patrick, Age 8

DesignRVA offers opportunities for children and their families to interact and engage in hands-on activities to raise awareness about four critical needs of our area as identified in the Richmond 300 master plan (health and wellness, housing, land use, and transportation).

We had over 200 attendees of all ages come and take part in various activities centered around the design and planning of our city. From housing, bus stops, front yards, art installations and pocket parks, elements filled a map envisioning a greater Richmond informed by youth voice.

Conversations around policy, the built environment and planning spanned across the next generation of City Builders.

Anya Shcherbakova (Design Session Manager), Sarah Pritchard (Advisory Council Member) and Kai Banks (Youth Innovation Director) at DesignRVA. Photo by Kylie Heald, Fultz & Singh

A special shout out to our presenting sponsors: Virginia Housing, Genworth, Highwoods, SingleStone, Lynx Ventures, TowneBank and Froehling and Robertson!

Without this funding, we wouldn't have been able to provide this free event at the level of intentionality and quality to our community.

Did you attend and have feedback? Let us know on the de-brief form!

Thanks to each and every one of you!

With gratitude, Kai and Anya

News, Resources & Opportunities

• Local project Bensley Agrihood on pause due to zoning issues (Article)

• Statement from Girls for A Change on Bensley Agrihood

• City of Richmond Healthy Homes program: Grants up to $15K

• City of Richmond Real Estate Tax Relief program for elderly and disabled residents

Notes from the Field: DesignRVA + Spring Pin-Ups!

Storefront for Community Design inspires equitable community-driven design through our innovative education programs including low-cost design and planning assistance and design workshops.

You’re invited to DesignRVA, our annual community day!

DesignRVA introduces youth ages 8-14 to the design of our region and shows how they can be a part of the planning, creation, and change of the places where we all live, learn, work, and play. Check out the write up in RIC Today!

When: Saturday June 8, 2024 10am–2pm
Where: Seven Hills School 1311 Overbrook Rd, Richmond, VA 23220
Who: Youth, families, community members

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Design Session | Design and Planning Assistance

We provide community members with affordable design and planning assistance at an approachable level through one-on-one advice, conceptual sketches, and plans of action from volunteer professionals. Learn more about Design Session.

fonticello gathering space

We recently wrapped up a design for an outdoor space at Fonticello Food Forest in Southside based on community feedback! This space will accommodate free programming around healing from gun violence hosted by @fonticellofoodforest. Thank you to our lead volunteer architects Miriam and John for facilitating and designing!

The space was designed to accommodate small workshops with storage benches that hold shade sails when not in use as well as bigger groups as a platform. The chosen site is accessible in several ways and takes advantage of existing trees as a potential for a public art opportunity. The poor drainage at the chosen site is addressed by stormwater mitigation strategies like a french drain and rain garden. Fonticello is working to build this vision! Want to help? Email fonticellofoodforest@gmail.com.

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MLK Jr. middle school Ubuntu Garden

For nearly a year, we've been working with two volunteer landscape architects, Lizzy and Robbie, in partnership with Kinfolk Community RVA to help illustrate the plan for an inclusive green space at MLK Jr. Middle School in the East End. After multiple site visits, community and team reviews, we've created a conceptual plan that includes an educational and restorative garden, amphitheater, outdoor kitchen, stormwater management and edible orchard!

A student team at mOb studio, also worked in tandem with Kinfolk Community to envision a site plan for a community gathering and storytelling space, receving mentorship from Lizzy and Robbie along the way.

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Design Workshops | City Builders

We convene project-based learning opportunities focusing on real-world issues in the built environment and encourage youth and young adults to discover and design solutions that create effective change in their lives and communities. Learn more about City Builders Design Workshop.

City Builders spring Semester

This spring we partnered with Peter Paul Development Center, Martin Luther King Jr Middle school, Fit4Kids, and Kinfolk Community to offer design workshops to East End and Northside youth.

design workshops

We used the design process to explore how our environments affect our health and wellness through charrettes, discussions, and model making. Specifically, youth gravitated to third spaces outside of school and home like parks and community centers and how they can be more sustainable.

Our high school design intern, Nate, helped facilitate class by holding a presentation and activity about designing spaces through a lens of climate resiliency and factors like temperature regulation, decreased pollutants, and selective plantings. The students completed their bio-architecture models and created a tree house, a wedding venue, and a house with a rooftop garden.

Thank you to the Green Workforce Crew at GroundworkRVA for their implementation of the African-centered labyrinth at MLK. We began our final class with a walk through the labryinth and ended with sketches of plants in the raised beds to test out this outdoor space and it’s restorative purpose.

Design mentor

We are excited to welcome back former City Builder and previous Design Session volunteer, Danielle Freeman Jefferson as a Lead Design Mentor. In her role she leverages her expertise to teach urban agriculture and climate resilience using the design process.

Danielle is a landscape architecture graduate who is working with our current City Builders in Gilpin and Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in the focus areas of placekeeping, environmental and food justice and health and wellness. Danielle’s work intertwines stewardship and education, advocating for eco-conscious practices and cultivating spaces for communal gathering. 

This work is funded (in part) by a grant from Richmond Memorial Health Foundation(RMHF). RMHF is committed to its mission of fostering an equitable and healthy Richmond region. This support allows Storefront to continue to foster the next generation of designers.

Special thanks to the Action Alliance staff Raelyn, Youth Resilience Manager and Dawn, Youth Justice Coordinator for leading discussions around violence, health equity and social determinants of health this spring for our youth.

Meet the staff!

We’re a small but mighty team of two and have immense gratitude to all our stellar volunteers, partners, Advisory Council and Board that help support this work!

Kai directs the City Builders program, using a multifaceted approach to develop Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) skills in Richmond's youth through the design process. As a Richmond native, she is deeply involved in the community and passionate about educating and empowering youth and their families on how our environment impacts well-being.

Anya manages our Design Session program using participatory processes to steer initiatives that improve the places we live in. She’s called Richmond home for the majority of her life and believes in making the design process accessible to all in addressing complex societal issues.

P.S. Thanks @rvacommunityfridges for capturing our Richmond Curious talk a while back!

Resources and Opportunities

• Sign Up and Volunteer at Project Pipeline’s Youth summer camp

• Enjoy our bike lanes with Sportsbacker’s bike month calendar

• Apply for a Youth Environmental Education Grant due June 27th

• Addressing the Gap in Affordable Housing conversation

• Diamond District design guidelines

When talking about equity in the built environment, it’s important to address the cycles of oppression that create inequity locally and globally, as we’re seeing in the ongoing crisis in Gaza and countless others. We’ve compiled some resources through this lens and believe all people deserve equitable, safe and enjoyable places to live:

• “On Domicide” by Architectural League of NY (virtual event May 23rd 2pm EST)

• Riwaq: Center for Architectural Conservation (archive of rural villages)

• Golda Slept Here by Suad Amiry, historical accounts of everyday architecture in Palestine (book)

• Our neighbor, Virginia Community Voice also shared a great list of educational resources in a recent newsletter along with these words:

“But it IS possible that watching what is happening in Palestine is waking more people up to the reality that the old way of being (based in extraction, violence, domination and greed) must end. That we can learn to live differently, in right relationship with each other and with the earth. That none of us are free until all of us are free.”

Notes from the Field: Fall 2023

Storefront for Community Design inspires equitable community-driven design through our innovative design education programs including low-cost design and planning assistance and design workshops.

Burt Pinnock Awarded Enduring Spirit of Philanthropy Award

The fall season kicked off with the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Central Virginia Chapter, National Philanthropy Day hosted by Virginia State University.

This year, Burt Pinnock, FAIA, NOMA, received the Enduring Spirit of Philanthropy Award, and it is easy to understand why. Burt Pinnock does not miss an opportunity to do something good for others. In 2011, recognizing the need to create equity and harness the power of design within Richmond's many communities, Burt began serving as the founding board chair of Storefront for Community Design.

Since the inception of Storefront, Burt has been actively involved, supporting through personal dollars, many personal hours, and an incalculable amount of talent. Burt's vast and deep civic engagement is the bedrock of his enduring philanthropy spirit.

Design Session | Low-cost Design and Planning Assistance

We provide community members with design and planning assistance at an intimate, approachable level, including one-on-one advice, conceptual sketches, and plans of action from volunteer design and planning professionals. Learn more about Design Session.

Mobile Market

This fall, Storefront connected Soul Replenishing to convert a shuttle bus into a mobile market for an organization that seeks to feed low-income communities, provide essential products, and enrich lives through health and community. Having personally converted a van, volunteer designer Kylie at Fultz & Singh Architects answered the call to envision an interior design for the mobile market!

MLK Jr. Middle School Restorative Garden

Community Partners shared a working conceptual design for the garden at an engagement meeting earlier this fall. Storefront coordinated design volunteers to support the design process, and we are excited to continue supporting the garden project through a partnership with mOb studio in the spring. This partnership will assist with designing specific elements within the garden space.

playspace

Bryan Innovation Lab at the Steward School needed a new playspace in their learning garden, so mOb created an adaptive design for various user groups of all ages, including storage, canopy, and mobile a-frame structures. Megan Young, Bryan Innovation Lab Program Specialist, shared,

“We were blown away by the wild and novel ideas and appreciated the time spent to make them practical for a school setting – you all balanced this super well! And we loved that you all were able to get our students and community members involved in the process.”

Design Workshops | City Builders

We convene project-based learning opportunities focusing on real-world issues in the built environment and encourage youth and young adults to discover and design solutions that create effective change in their lives and communities. Learn more about City Builders Design Workshop.

City Builders Fall Semester

This semester, City Builders had an opportunity to share their creative vision for everyday spaces in their community. City Builders explored their own identities and how they are reflected in the built environment. 

Participants created surface designs for the Richmond Metro Transportation Authority’s (RMTA) Downtown Expressway toll plaza with instruction from VCU Arts professor Emily Smith and mOb studio students. The mObians created a transit tool kit for participants to think of their designs as more than a mural, but a message- an expression of the identity of Richmond.

City Builders visited the Elegba Folklore Society for an illustration of architecture, people, artifacts, and symbols that tell stories about Richmond’s history. During the visit, Omalide encouraged participants to envision a connected identity for the future.

VCU Interior design faculty Sara Reed and VCU student Bryce Carlson led a specially-curated session called What is Good Design? City Builders were prompted to create a collage that used texture, color, and material to express the character of the Storefront block. 

At the end of the semester, when asked what an ideal community looked like framed by their identity, the City Builders blew us away with their designs for a healthy and happy community, including a shelter for the houseless, a hotel with state-of-the-art technology, a calm spa, energy cafe, and zen garden.

GOLDEN HAMMER AWARDS (Nov 2)

Historic Richmond and Storefront for Community Design partnered for a seventh year to host the awards program to recognize professionals and community members improving our neighborhoods through restoration, adaptive reuse, new construction, placemaking, and historic preservation.

The 2023 Storefront Teen Choice Award went to Old City Hall. City Builders shared that Old City Hall was their clear favorite, and the revitalized interior and finishings are fitting for "the castle."

Participants and design mentors had 45 minutes to design an award that represents the best parts of Richmond. To make it slightly more challenging, they could only use paper products with tape, string, or glue.

A huge thank you to our sponsors! A complete list of nominees and winners can be found here.

Notes from the Field: Summer Highlights

Storefront for Community Design inspires equitable community-driven design through our innovative design education programs including low-cost design and planning assistance and design workshops.

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DesignRVA Envisions Richmond Through the Eyes of the City’s Young People

More than than 250 Richmonders attended our first-ever DesignRVA event on Saturday, June 24th at The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design! During this day-long community event, children and their families were given the opportunity to interact and engage in hands-on activities to raise awareness of the four critical needs identified in the Richmond 300 plan — health and wellness, housing, land use, and transportation. Attendees were asked the question "How would you design a more fair and equitable neighborhood?"

We believe that when young people have space to imagine what their communities can become, they’re likely be active participants in sharing their environment for generations to come. Storefront launched this event to introduce these visioning opportunities to a younger audience and encourage conversations around city planning and equitable development.

Volunteers from community-based organizations and design professions like architecture, engineering, urban planning, and construction offered hands-on activities to build elements of a neighborhood. The result is a 5x12 foot tabletop display depicting a 3-D map of our Richmond through their eyes and ears. The map was on display at Storefront during August First Fridays and is now on view at the Richmond Public Library Main Branch through September in the children’s department!

Learn more about DesignRVA in Style Weekly: Vision Quest

Many thanks to our DesignRVA sponsors, advisory council, and volunteers who made the event possible: Virginia Housing | Baskervill | Genworth | DPR Construction | Fall Line | Hanbury | Moseley Architects | Creative Office Environments | GRACRE | VHB

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Design Session
Low-cost Design and Planning Assistance

We provide community members design and planning assistance at an intimate, approachable level including one-on-one advice, conceptual sketches, and plans of action from volunteer design and planning professionals. Learn more about Design Session. Want to receive our upcoming project calls? Sign up to be a Design Session volunteer !

01 MLK Jr. middle school restorative garden

Community partners meet Storefront volunteers for a site visit at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School restorative garden. This summer, we're helping envision a conceptual landscape design with a holistic approach that continues cultivating the urban garden and provides space for programs already taking place within the school and surrounding community.

Once known as "Howard's Grove," this used to be a popular picnic-recreation area that was developed into a Confederate hospital and later repurposed for a mental health hospital for African-Americans.

02 The Hive Campus

This summer we worked with The Hive, a local non-profit, and a passionate volunteer team at Quinn Evans to create a conceptual site plan for The Hive Campus, a project that serves the holistic needs of young people transitioning into adulthood. The team led the partners through a participatory design process to visualize an unprecedented, multi-acre site that brings together community-based, holistic infrastructure that supports young people impacted by the justice system. Does your workplace want to engage in community-driven projects? We are always open to partnering with workplace teams to facilitate larger projects with assistance!

Design Review meeting at Quinn Evans

Conceptual design for The Hive Campus

mOb studio is in session for Fall 2023!

Keep an eye out on the @middleofbroadstudio instagram for updates throughout the semester.

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City Builders Design Workshop
Design Workshops

We convene project-based learning opportunities that focus on real world issues in the built environment and encourage youth and young adults to discover and design solutions that create effective change in their lives and communities. Learn more and register for City Builders Design Workshop. Interested in getting involved as a mentor? Apply Today!

SPRING semester/ summer opportunities

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What if we included youth in the design and development of our cities? Engaging youth participants in the City Builders program and involving various stakeholders like city leaders, community members, professors, and designers demonstrates a collaborative and inclusive approach to community development. In these past six months, the City Builders program has done more than engage over 25 youth participants in community design; it has created an opportunity for the community’s future to be shaped by all of its members. In Richmond, youth aren't just the future; they're active contributors to building a better city.

Spring Semester: Youth-led Design

During the spring semester participants worked with design mentors to envision a new Richmond City Center. Their ideas included multi-use housing, a dog park, a gym, a historical site, a playground, and a transportation hub. They presented these ideas to both the community and the design team behind the City Center project, showcasing the power of youth voices in shaping urban landscapes.

Summer Opportunities: Exploring Design

City Builder alumni had an exciting summer. Some attended Inside Design & Architecture a week long summer camp at Virginia Tech, learning from college graduates, professors, and architects. Others visited Fultz and Singh, an architecture firm, to see design in action and gain valuable insight into the life of a designer. Others attended a drawing session and art activation, hosted by _the.third._ focused on combining meditative practices and art. Thank you to all of our summer partners for investing in our youth and providing opportunities for exploration in design this summer.

Virginia Tech Inside Design & Architecture alum, youth, and Baskervill staff

Press and resources

• Check out our interview about our youth design education program with MentorVA, consulting partner

• VA NOMA (National Organization of Minority Architects) is hosting a Happy Hour mixer September 15th

• Last Chance to see ‘Modeling a Vision: Design Technology, and Impact’ at The Branch, on view through Sep 10th.

• Association for Community Design announces annual conference Oct 20-21 Chicago
  

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Community Visioning
Low-cost Design and Planning Assistance

We provide community-based design and planning assistance that inspires community members to take action, leverage their creativity, and realize a shared vision that strengthens our neighborhoods. Learn more about Community Visioning.

JACKSON WARD COMMUNITY PLAN UPDATES

Our team has been collaborating with the Jackson Ward Community Plan project team to host visioning events in 2023, meeting with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) representatives to provide updates on the process, and working together with Gilpin Informed Residents to develop creative communications.

Celebrate the completion of the Jackson Ward Community Plan and all the accomplishments achieved during the last 18 months!

• Check out the Jackson Ward Community Plan webpage to learn more about upcoming meetings and to review past meeting materials.

2023 Golden Hammer Awards Nominations Now Open

Storefront for Community Design and Historic Richmond will partner for a seventh year to host the Golden Hammer Awards to recognize professionals and community members improving our neighborhoods.

Do you have a project that was completed after January 1, 2022? Application fees are $75 for businesses, $15 for nonprofits, and $10 for community member entries. Applications must be submitted before 11:59 p.m. on September 10, 2023.

Cyane Crump, Historic Richmond’s Executive Director noted, “Last year, the collective work of our nominees reflected innovative solutions to address contemporary issues, marking a year of progress towards a more vibrant Richmond with more housing, more food, more parks, more history and more education.  We can’t wait to see the creative projects submitted for 2023’s Golden Hammer Awards!”

Projects must be completed after January 1, 2022 and located in the greater Richmond area (City of Richmond, Counties of Chesterfield, Hanover, and Henrico) to be considered for the categories of: Best Restoration, Best Adaptive Reuse, Best New Construction, Best Residential, and Best Placemaking & Urban Design.

"Year-round Richmond's historic places and community-created placemaking is celebrated by neighbors and visitors," said Shawn Balon, Executive Director, Storefront for Community Design. "We welcome grassroots community driven placemaking projects that have improved a neighborhood today and for generations to come.  We are excited and look forward to seeing the submissions this year!”

The Golden Hammer Awards were started in 2000 with a goal of honoring excellence in neighborhood revitalization projects throughout Greater Richmond. Historic Richmond and Storefront for Community Design will partner for a seventh year to host the awards program to recognize professionals and community members improving our neighborhoods through restoration, adaptive reuse, new construction, placemaking, and historic preservation.

Notes from the Field: May Program Highlights

Storefront for Community Design inspires equitable community-driven design through our innovative design education programs including low-cost design and planning assistance and design workshops. . Check out our May 2023 Notes from the Field to learn about recent updates from our programs.

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City Builders Design Workshop
Design Workshops

We convene project-based learning opportunities that focus on real world issues in the built environment and encourage youth and young adults to discover and design solutions that create effective change in their lives and communities. Learn more about City Builders Design Workshop.

SPRING semester

Cities don’t magically appear. They are planned, designed, and then developed.

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This semester our City Builders Design students have had an opportunity to learn about the plans for the City of Richmond. Samantha Lewis, a Planner from the City of Richmond’s Planning Department, stopped by to talk about her profession as an urban planner and the plans for Richmond currently outlined in the Richmond 300, the City’s master plan. The master plan aims to guide the development of Richmond by its 300th birthday in 2037. Students discovered how closely related urban planning and urban design are to each other and how impactful they both are when it comes to the success of a city.

Sam, Planner with the City of Richmond planning office introduces the Richmond 300

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Design Session
Low-cost Design and Planning Assistance

We provide community members design and planning assistance at an intimate, approachable level including one-on-one advice, conceptual sketches, and plans of action from volunteer design and planning professionals. Learn more about Design Session.

RVAFridges shelter desigN

Good things take time!

In 2021, we met with RVA Community Fridges to dream up a shelter for a Southside fridge to protect it from the elements. mOb studio continued the project with a focus on modular designs that could adapt across citywide locations. A tiny footprint with a great impact, the fridges promote ideals behind food justice and directly remove barriers to fresh food.

Over the past few months, the RVAFridges team partnered with a local carpenter, August Neuscheler (mound.info) to adapt and build out a shelter design for their new fridge in Northside! Last month, they held a community build led by August to put it all together. We're thrilled and proud of this community partner for taking their design ideas into the built environment. Check out this project at 3613 Meadowbridge Road (along with MAD RVA's new free store!) and leave a food item to help stock the fridge.

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reimagining a vacant lot in the east end

Earlier this year, we started working on a Design Session with RVA Community Development Corporation (RVA CDC), a new organization that strives to promote economic opportunity and stability for vulnerable neighborhoods in Richmond. Our fantastic landscape architecture and planning volunteers (Robbie, Lizzy and Michael) reimagined a small vacant lot in the East End into a multi-use community gathering space! Beginning with a chilly site visit and a couple design review meetings later, they created a conceptual plan that does a lot with a little and can be a community engagement tool for RVA CDC to get additional feedback.

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mOb studio semester wrap up and fall 2023 project call

Last week, we attended mOb studio’s final critiques. We’re grateful for our community partners and mOb mentOrs that made all the community-engaged projects possible! Keep an eye out on the @middleofbroadstudio instagram to learn more about each project over the next few weeks.

Spring 2023 Community Partners:

• Councilperson Robertson / Public Arts Comission

• Dept of Social Services, City Hall

• Alternatives Boutique

• VCU SHIFT Retail Lab

• Highland Support Project

Could your organization benefit from conceptual design assistance this fall from a group of interdisciplinary VCUarts students? Check out the program menu and fill out a Design Session form for mOb studio!

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mOb studio: Rendering for a gathering space behind Alternatives Boutique

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mOb studio: Modular design for an interior fixture at VCU Shift Retail Lab

resources

• RPS High schoolers are invited to design Richmond’s next “I Voted” sticker! Deadline May 12th

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Community Visioning
Low-cost Design and Planning Assistance

We provide community-based design and planning assistance that inspires community members to take action, leverage their creativity, and realize a shared vision that strengthens our neighborhoods. Learn more about Community Visioning.

JACKSON WARD COMMUNITY PLAN UPDATES

Our team has been collaborating with the Jackson Ward Community Plan project team to host visioning events in 2023, meeting with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) representatives to provide updates on the process, and working together with Gilpin Informed Residents to develop creative communications.

On February 11, we hosted the Draft Plan Event. where we transformed the Calhoun Center’s gymnasium into a community space with interactive stations. Upon arrival, attendees received a passport map to guide them. Attendees took part in many activities to learn about the project, explore maps of current conditions and proposed improvements, and review the community plan’s vision, themes, and goals.

image: Interactive stations at the Community Draft Plan Event on February 11

In April, Gilpin Court and Jackson Ward residents, planning experts, and stakeholders attended one of two sessions, in person or virtual, for the Community Plan Event. This was a great opportunity to see the latest iteration of the community plan based on the input and ideas received over the last ten months. Comments received will help the project team prepare for the final community presentation in fall 2023.

A HUGE shout out goes to the Gilpin Informed Residents, Dreame, Quiera, Paula, and Stephanie, for helping the team lead a great presentation!

image: Gilpin Informed Residents presenting at the Community Plan Event on April 18.

• Read the full recap of the Jackson Ward Community Draft Plan Event in February

• Read the full recap of the Jackson Ward Community Plan Events in April

• Check out the Jackson Ward Community Plan webpage to learn more about upcoming meetings and to review past meeting materials.

Storefront Announces Search for New ED

Hello SFCD Community, 

Over two years ago Shawn Balon took over as Executive Director of Storefront for Community Design (SFCD) and led us through a time of transition and growth. Under Shawn's leadership in 2022, SFCD announced a bold, new vision and a three-year strategic plan. Shawn guided the successful implementation of the plan’s first year with significant impact towards our mission to make design accessible for all who love our city of Richmond.

As is often the case with talented and accomplished individuals, however, their services are constantly in demand. It is with warm wishes and sad hearts we announce that as of May 26th, Shawn will no longer be with SFCD and will be transitioning to a new role at Timmons Group as Studio Director for the landscape architecture group in Richmond. Shawn has graciously agreed to support select projects during the transition, including DesignRVA in June.

As a board we’d like to thank Shawn for his commitment to SFCD and the Richmond community, and we wish him success in his new role.

To accommodate Shawn’s departure, the Board of Directors and SFCD staff have already begun implementing a transition plan to locate a new Executive Director quickly. We’re working with Letts Consult to seek highly qualified candidates for the role.

We ask that you please share this opportunity with your network and encourage interested individuals to apply.

Thank you,

Bernard Harkless
Board Chair

Storefront Kicks Off Inaugural DesignRVA Celebration

Storefront for Community Design announced its inaugural DesignRVA celebration will take place on June 24 at The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design. This year DesignRVA highlights the critical need in areas of health and wellness, land use, transportation, and housing. The event will initiate community ideas and focus conversation around the question, “How would YOU design a more equitable and fair Greater Richmond?” 

“The launch of our DesignRVA program is one way, we’re sharing the power of design with the Richmond community. We’re always excited to engage with people and demonstrate to them that they have the capacity to improve their neighborhoods as well as themselves. through design.”

— Bernard Harkless, Board Chair

DesignRVA is a one-of-a-kind free event that introduces children ages 8-14 to the design of our area, while informing them how their voices can be a part of the planning, creation, and improvement of the places where we live, work, and play. Storefront for Community Design invites families from across Greater Richmond to participate in this inaugural community day.

“This will be a unique, hands-on experience for the children that participate that they won’t be able to get anywhere else. We want to let Children’s ideas run wild in designing Richmond from the ground up, and there will be many activities planned for them.”

— Shawn Balon, Executive Director

Children and families will engage with volunteers from community-based organizations and design professions like architecture, engineering, urban planning, and construction to build elements of a neighborhood. Children will take their elements to a designated communal space, which will evolve throughout the day, and build a shared vision of a more equitably built environment for their community. A stamped event “passport” will serve as a unique event souvenir for participants. Food trucks and entertainment are also part of the day.

Storefront Launches Development of ‘Design Richmond’

image: City Builders Design program participants visit a local architecture firm to learn about design and planning efforts in Richmond’s Arts District.

Storefront for Community Design announced the launch of the development of Design Richmond: An interactive guide to exploring and shaping our city. The interactive guide and activity book will empower residents, specifically youth ages 13-18, to become active participants in the design of their communities. The comprehensive community-developed guide will also support the Richmond 300 Master Plan.

The success of similar guidebooks in Baltimore and Chicago were the inspiration for the book. Design Richmond will be organized into four chapters: Health and Wellness, Land Use, Transportation, and Housing. Each chapter will encourage residents to investigate the city’s past planning and design, discover current challenges, and design solutions.

“The interactive guidebook will help connect residents to the resources they need to arrive at real life solutions for Richmond’s built environment and supports the goals of creating a more equitable, sustainable, and livable city.”

— Shawn Balon, Executive Director

Storefront kicked off the initial development of Design Richmond in fall 2022. In 2023, Storefront is collaborating with urban planning and design professionals, consultants, nonprofit partners, educators, interns, and youth to create the guidebook and launch it in 2024. The book will provide supplemental activities for middle school classrooms and nonprofit programs, an accessible resource for Richmond residents, and new curriculum for Storefront’s City Builders Design program.

The book will be developed thanks in part to national grants, sponsorships, and donations from supporters. For more information and to learn how to give involved click the link below.

Notes from the Field: February Program Highlights

Storefront for Community Design inspires equitable community-driven design through our innovative design education programs including low-cost design and planning assistance and design workshops. . Check out our February 2023 Notes from the Field to learn about recent updates from our programs.

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City Builders Design Workshop
Design Workshops

We convene project-based learning opportunities that focus on real world issues in the built environment and encourage youth and young adults to discover and design solutions that create effective change in their lives and communities. Learn more about City Builders Design Workshop.

fall semester: sharing ideas for equitable transportation

Imagine a city where ALL residents have access to shared bike systems, safe streets, improved intersections, multiple modes of transportation, and parklets for outdoor activities. This past fall semester, our City Builders Design program participants took a walk through the city to learn about equitable transportation and discover solutions for Richmond.  Learn more by reading a recent blog post highlighting the semester of activities.

Become a City Builder! Registration now open for our spring semester.

Who: Teens ages 13-18
When: Thursdays from 5:30 to 7:30pm, March 2 to May 18, 2023
Where: 205 E. Broad St.
*Dinner and stipend provided; register by Feb. 15

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Design Session
Low-cost Design and Planning Assistance

We provide community members design and planning assistance at an intimate, approachable level including one-on-one advice, conceptual sketches, and plans of action from volunteer design and planning professionals. Learn more about Design Session.

Update: Whitcomb Court Park

It's a wrap! Storefront volunteers created a conceptual design for a vacant green space in the Whitcomb Court Community informed by previous community engagement. Richmond’s Parks and Recreation, a key stakeholder and partner on this project, took the plan to the Urban Design Committee (UDC) where it got a favorable reception. This project was initiated by Councilwoman Robertson and implementation is awaiting next steps.

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image: Conceptual design for Whitcomb Ct Park by Storefront volunteers Natsumi and Katrina (Hanbury)

Image: Vision board of various park element precedents

Fall 2022 semester collaboration with mob studio:

Since 2012, VCUarts mOb (Middle of Broad) studio has collaborated with Storefront’s Design Session allowing students to gain practical design experience while engaging the city. The mOb studio is an interdisciplinary studio that brings together the departments of graphic, fashion, and interior design. Students from urban planning have also participated over the years. mOb studio had a packed fall semester with projects spanning all across the city. A summary of select project briefs below.

Image: Conceptual rendering for public bathrooms at the Belle Isle Wedge Building by mOb studio

1. Belle Isle Wedge - Friends of the James River Park

Conceptual design for repurposing the "wedge building" on Belle Isle as a public bathroom/parks facilities building.

2. Varina LandLab - Capital Region Land Conservancy

A cohesive vision for a recreation area and trail system identity for for a new 350+ acre public park opening this fall just outside Richmond.

3. Public Plot - Jefferson Ave Community Garden

Conceptual design for an educational plot (signage and seating) at a long-standing community garden in the East End.

4. Arts District Placekeeping - Hanbury/Public Arts Commission

Design concepts that activate alleyways and neglected spaces in the Arts District for a larger proposal to Richmond's Public Arts Commission.

5. Arts District Charrette - Hanbury/Public Arts Commission

Activity design for an Arts District charrette as part of AIA's Arch Ex VA conference.

resources

• Resource Guide: Architect's Role in Creating Equitable Communities:

  Looking to use your design practice to inspire more equitable outcomes? This resource shares how architects can, in their practices, bring about racially just and equitable outcomes for all members of the communities they serve. Created by our friends at Neighborhood Design Center in partnership with Gensler Design, and AIA National.

• LISC VA Community Investment Grants

  LISC Virginia has several grant programs for local community projects seeking financial support.

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Community Visioning
Low-cost Design and Planning Assistance

We provide community-based design and planning assistance that inspires community members to take action, leverage their creativity, and realize a shared vision that strengthens our neighborhoods. Learn more about Community Visioning.

CHAMBERBROOK BUSINESS and ARTS DISTRICT UPDATES

The Chamberbrook Business and Arts District of Northside RVA is a grassroots effort by longtime Richmond residents, community organizers, and designers dedicated to re-establishing the Chamberlayne Ave. and Brookland Park Blvd. Corridor. In early 2022 Real Chances, Inc. partnered with Storefront for Community Design, Hanbury Community Design Laboratory, FORM Coalition, Tactile Studio, and The LIFT Group, to kick off community engagement to create a unique sense of place rooted in community and culture.

In fall 2022, the team launched the Chamberbrook Business and Arts District Design Guidebook to be a tool for community member and business owners to generate ideas. It was assembled using the initial recommendations gathered from residents, business owners, and other stakeholders in and around the Chamberbrook Business and Arts District.

The design guidebook provides the opportunity for community members to “choose your own adventure” based on your knowledge of the project and interest in participating to envision the future of Chamberbrook Business and Arts District.

Jackson Ward Community Plan Updates and Community Event

Since the November Jackson Ward Community Plan Alternatives Workshop, our team has been busy collaborating with the Jackson Ward Community Plan project team to prepare for visioning events in 2023, meeting with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) representatives to provide updates on the process, and working together with Gilpin Informed Residents to develop creative communications.

Save the date for the next community event on Saturday, February 11. The Community Draft Plan Event will be held at the Calhoun Center and residents, community members, and stakeholders are invited to participate.

• Read the full recap of the Jackson Ward Community Plan November Workshop.

• Check out the Jackson Ward Community Plan webpage to learn more about upcoming meetings and to review past meeting materials.