Charrette

The Industrial Sites Interim Use Charrette was an event that explored how to reanimate vacant neighborhood-based industrial sites through creative temporary installations.

Four teams of designers—including architects, landscape architects, planners, and public artists—were charged with designing temporary uses for vacant industrial sites selected by the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation and the New Kensington Community Development Corporation.

More than 100 charrette participants produced concepts for enlivening overlooked and neglected industrial lots, buildings, and infrastructure. They proposed temporary uses that included public art installations, performance spaces, an outdoor markets, and a rooftop urban campsite for stargazing.

Glassphemy!

Inspired by a conversation at the charrette about broken glass in empty lots, David Belt of Macro-Sea and his team of creative designers, constructed Glassphemy!, a 20 x 30– foot interactive glass recycling center.