Center for DesignPhiladelphia

Join DAG and members of the ATAC and Kelly Maiello as we explore the story of the impetus in the creation of the President's House.Join DAG with Michael Coard, founding member of ATAC, Avenging The Ancestors Coalition and Troy Leonard of Kelly Maiello Architects as we explore the creation and future of the President’s House/Slavery Memorial Site. The memorial is a testament to uncompromising, unadulterated, and strategic cultural grassroots activism, but recently, the site was flagged by the Trump administration as a threat to the promotion of America's “greatness” or “progress.”. Michael Coard and Troy Leonard will explore the impetus

Join us to discuss the challenges and opportunities for the Rail Park in their equitable development plan.What does it look like to invest in public space and the surrounding neighborhood? As the Friends of the Rail Park(FRP) embark on the beginning stages of their Community First Plan, they are looking to other parks and partners that challenge the status quo of what benefits parks provide to their communities. While the environmental, social, and health-related benefits of parks are often communicated to residents, many cities are starting to think innovatively around how to leverage the public and private investment generated by

A brief overview of the trail and greenway known as Schuylkill Banks.A brief overview of the trail and greenway along the tidal Schuylkill River between the Fairmount Dam and Delaware River, an area branded as Schuylkill Banks. How did this long envisioned project evolve and where is it headed?This event will be held at the Center for DesignPhiladelphia, 1218 Arch Street, Philadelphia PA 19107.Registration is not required for in-person events, however it is helpful for our planning. Light refreshments will be served.For more information, please CLICK HERE!

Please join us on May 28th, 2025 for a one-on-one discussion with Angela Brooks, Philly's new Chief Housing & Urban Development Officer.Join DAG for a special event as we host Angela Brooks, Philadelphia's new Chief Housing & Urban Development Officer and Immediate Past President of the American Planning Association (APA), for a one-on-one conversation that will touch on issues related to affordable and accessible housing and community development. In this newly-established role in Philadelphia's administration, Brooks will oversee the implementation of Mayor Parker's Housing Plan, which aims to achieve the goal of creating and preserving 30,000 units of housing. Leah Eppinger,

Join DAG on May 14th as Councilmember Gauthier moderates a discussion with Westpark's redevelopment team.Westpark Towers is a vacant, 12-acre public housing campus that is currently being redeveloped into a 1,000 unit, mixed-income community. This large project on a critical transit-adjacent site in West Powelton will create 330 public housing replacement units, 250 units of additional Affordable Housing, 420 workforce units, community-oriented retail, social services, and four acres of new public open space.The redevelopment of Westpark Towers, located in District 3, is the result of a public-private partnership between the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) and LMXD Development. With the support of

Lindsey Scannapieco will discuss the approach and ethos in reimagining the iconic buildings at Broad and Pine.This presentation by Lindsey Scannapieco, the Founder of Scout, will focus on the approach and ethos in reimagining the iconic buildings at Broad and Pine, where Strickland, Furness, and Haviland left their influence. Since 1892, these spaces have nurtured artists, makers, and educators --- giving rise to institutions like the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Now, we have the opportunity to build on that foundation, transforming these interconnected buildings into a dynamic ecosystem of studios, small businesses, non-profits, and artist residences—an open-ended, ever-evolving place of

Sharing the strategic planning process and resulting plan to keep Philadelphia’s Public Market thriving.Sharing the strategic planning process and resulting plan to keep Philadelphia’s Public Market thriving.This event will be held at the Center for Design Philadelphia.Light refreshments will be served.For more information, click HERE!

Building Ghosts: Past Lives and Lost Places in a Changing City (Temple University Press, 2024) and the ghosts that reveal new truths.“Building ghosts” are the idiosyncratic remnants or imprints of demolished buildings, left behind on the sides of neighboring structures. Mostly seen in older Northeastern cities with rowhomes or party-wall adjacencies, they can reveal remarkable things, such as an old staircase going up the side of a building or plaster traces left by a set of shelves in an attic gable. As history in our changing cities is erased and remade, these ghosts can be ephemeral or enduring. They can be quickly revealed and

Please join us on January 16th, 2025 for a one-on-one discussion with Jessie Lawrence, Philly's new Director of Planning and Development.Please join us on January 16th, 2025 for a one-on-one discussion with Jessie D. Lawrence, the new Director of Planning and Development for the City of Philadelphia.Jessie D. Lawrence has nearly 20 years of experience in public and privately driven real estate development, urban planning, entitlements, and land policies. He most recently worked in administration of Philadelphia’s 100th Mayor, the honorable Cherelle L. Parker, as Associate Deputy Mayor for Planning and Strategic Initiatives. His experience has primarily been with the Philadelphia

Philadelphia will be showcasing the richness of its cultural scene with a series of projects, performances and programs throughout the city.Philadelphia will be showcasing the richness of its cultural scene with a series of projects, performances and programs throughout the city. Leaders of the cultural community will be sharing preliminary plans for these events and for the general citywide cultural celebration. There will also be an opportunity for artists, architects and designers to discover how to get involved in the celebration, where funding might be available and how to create partnerships with cultural centers and communities.Please join us on January 22nd, 2025

Come listen in on a fireside chat with DVRPC Executive Director, Ariella Maron, about how DVRPC approaches urban challenges.The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) is Greater Philadelphia's regional planning agency, planning for the nine-county, bi-state region as a whole, while also addressing place-based issues facing various portions of the region, including Center City, Philadelphia.  Ariella Maron became DVRPC's Executive Director in January 2023 and will join us for a fireside chat with Patty Elkis, DVRPC's recently retired Deputy Executive Director. Come listen in on a conversation about how DVRPC approaches urban challenges of aging infrastructure, a changing climate, disadvantaged communities,

How can Philadelphia think beyond rec centers in our neighborhoods, to build a larger culture of sports and recreation in Philly?With two stadium districts in the works, the FDR Park redesign, and a proposed $60 million waterfront pool park along the Schuylkill River, Philadelphia has a newly heightened focus on sports and recreation. How can Philadelphia leverage these projects, and think beyond rec centers in our neighborhoods, to build a larger culture of sport, recreation, and physical activity in the city?Light refreshments will be served.The event is free to attend and we ask you to RSVP so that we can get