Storefront for Community Design connects community members to design resources through our low-cost design and planning assistance programs and design education programs. Check out our February Notes from the Field learn about recent updates from our programs.
Design Education: City Builders Design Workshop
Storefront for Community Design provides project-based learning opportunities that engage youth and young adults in real-world problem solving while providing a safe space to build the capacity to create effective change in their lives and communities. Learn more about City Builders Design Workshop.
Fall Session
Illuminating Youth Voices
The Grand Illumination returned to the James Center this year but that wasn’t the only illumination. A group of 12 emerging designers visited the James Center to engage in a design brainstorming session. Storefront for Community Design partnered with Baskervill, Saving Our Youth, and Commonwealth Catholic Charities for a City Builders Brainstorm for Youth Supportive Housing on December 16. The youth had a lot to add to the conversation around housing and the youth hub that is being developed in the East End. After the brainstorming session, youth were able to tour Baskervill’s office and afterwards eat dinner and speak with staff members of the architecture firm. The design education workshop was an opportunity for youth to engage with professionals in the design field and uplift their voices during the design process.
image: City Builders brainstorming session at Baskervill with Commonwealth Catholic Charities
Celebrating Community Culture
Kwanzaa is a celebration of community, family and culture, established as a means to help African Americans reconnect with their African roots and heritage. The word Kwanzaa is a Swahili word that means "first" and symbolizes the first fruits of the harvest. It is celebrated for 7 days with a principle for each day from December 26 to January 1. Storefront for Community Design and community partner, UntoldRVA, kept with the five-year tradition and hosted Kwanzaa this year in a Covid friendly way. On the second day of Kwanzaa, Kujichagulia or self determination day, volunteers helped to prepare, distribute, and deliver 40 (Zawadi) boxes with healthy food items and education about Marcus Garvey. UntoldRVA and community members collaborated on this project to uplift the voices of our fall semester participants who were working to address food access challenges in the North Side.
In honor of Mama Shakila one of the founders of this community tradition.
Registration for spring City Builders Design semester is now open!
Do you know youth or young adults ages 13-18 who are interested in design and creativity? Learn more and apply today!
Low-cost Design and Planning Assistance:
Design Session
Storefront for Community Design offers one-on-one advice, conceptual sketches, and plans of action from volunteer design and planning professionals to residents and community members that builds the capacity to create new ideas. Learn more about Design Session.
A New Space for Host of Sparrows
This winter, Storefront volunteer Jessie worked with Heather, founder of a community-driven aerial circus, in envisioning their new space in Manchester. Jessie created a conceptual interior design and provided Heather with a better understanding of the typical construction process.
image: A design review meeting at Storefront’s office downtown
image: Conceptual interior rendering by Storefront volunteer Jessie Gemmer
Parks and Recreation Resource Center
In December, mOb studio wrapped up their Fall 2021 semester projects. This student team worked in partnership with Parks and Rec to "redesign an empty room into a bright and colorful workspace" at the Annie Marie Giles Center at 1400 Oliver Hill Way. The concept, "a continuous line that unifies and directs the program", was born out of conversations with Parks staff and led to a custom shelf design that gave structure to the space.
“Exploring what community design means, by helping the Parks and Recreation Resource Center build out their work space, was such an incredible opportunity.”
image: Rendering showing individual desk space and collab table (Jenna Bramblet, mOb studio)
Low-cost Design and Planning Assistance: Community Engagement
Storefront for Community Design provides community engagement strategy and convenes workshops that inspire community members to take action, leverage their creativity, and realize a shared vision that strengthens our neighborhoods. Learn about Community Engagement.
Highland Grove Community Engagement
Last October, Storefront for Community Design kicked off a community engagement initiative with Better Housing Coalition (BHC) and community partners to receive feedback from residents, homebuyers, and local businesses on the Highland Grove community plan. Highland Grove is a 33-acre, true mixed-income subdivision encompassing the redevelopment and revitalization of the former Dove Court and Carrington Gardens Northridge public housing complexes and Virginia National Guard in Richmond’s North Side.
Storefront and community partners held a virtual meeting in mid-October to introduce the project and hosted two community events in early December where residents came to learn about the project, provide feedback for the community plan, grab a bite to eat, and meet their neighbors. Even with the unusual weather that provided warmth one day and freezing temperatures the next, we had a great turn out.
In early January, Storefront compiled feedback and ideas from the community events and launched a community survey. We had over 125 community members provide feedback and we are currently reviewing this information, along with what we heard over the last four months, to develop a final design guide and recommendations that will be handed over to Better Housing Coalition, the developer of Highland Grove, to use as they develop the community plan.
image: Highland Grove community engagement events at Six Points Innovation Center (6PIC)
Reconnect Jackson Ward & Chamberbrook Kick Off
There have been a couple new projects that have kicked off in the new year. Be on the lookout for more information in the coming months as Storefront collaborates with community partners to provide community engagement services for Reconnect Jackson Ward, a feasibility study to utilize community input to assess infrastructure options to reconnect Jackson Ward and Chamberbrook, a movement dedicated to re-establishing the Chamberlayne and Brookland Park Corridor.