Social Spaces

In doing some online research I have stumbled across this organization called Social Spaces. They are doing some really interesting work with community engagement. Some of their projects include a community pantry and something called "Hand Made". Check out their website:

www.socialspaces.org

I've contacted them to see if I can get some more information on where they are located and how they got started. I'll update this post when I get a response.

A Little Clarification

I realized after posting the first couple of things that I alluded to my research interest without actually stating it. I am interested in the redevelopment of leftover space in the urban context. It seems to me that traditional solutions tend to be too stagnant or concrete (no pun intended) and, therefore, lack the ability to remain relevant in the long term. I am interested in how a flexible approach to designing these spaces can better engage the community that they are placed in and remain active, successful spaces for the long term. Specifically, I am exploring the potential for utilizing Social Capital and Temporary Urbanism as two organizing concepts in my research of this problem. I am curious as to whether using the dual concepts of Social Capital and Temporary Urbanism in the context of leftover urban space can revolutionize the approach Landscape Architects and designers in general approach urban design.

An example of a Temporary Urbanism initiative:

http://planning.dc.gov/DC/Planning/Across+the+City/Other+Citywide+Initiatives/Temporary+Urbanism+Initiative

Van Alen Institute Design Competition

The Van Alen Institute is sponsoring a design competition called, "Parks for People." I am looking into this competition as a way to guide my studio work during the spring semester. I would be participating in regards to the Civil War fort sites surrounding Washington D.C. I'm not sure I can make this competition work for my research interest. The only way I would find it helpful is if it could be approached from the perspective of community involvement and establishing a flexible and ever-changing design solution... check out the link, look at the Washington D.C. site and let me know what you think.

http://www.vanalen.org/parksforthepeople/

New Form/New Function

This blog was one that I originally established as an undergraduate to document my experiences in triathlon. While triathlon is still a very important part of my life, it is time to move on to a more academic stage. This blog will now be used as a documentation medium for my discoveries as a MLA student at Virginia Tech. Not that many people probably read this thing in the past, but I hope it will be worth while for others with similar interests and want to clear up any confusions that may result from the fact that older posts will not correspond to any from this point on. I hope that as I post discoveries and thoughts, any and all who review them will take the opportunity to add their input, that is what will really make this worth while... With that, here goes nothing!