Media Advisory: Sacred Places/Civic Spaces Launch & Precedent Exhibition

WHAT:               

The Community Design Collaborative, in partnership with the Partners for Sacred Places, hosts the launch of Infill Philadelphia: Sacred Places/Civic Spaces. The initiative calls on design teams to re-envision underutilized, purpose-built religious properties as community hubs, adding the design and development community's voice to a growing dialogue about the intersection between historic sacred places and communities.

The kick-off event features the announcement of three real-life, historic sacred places located in Philadelphia neighborhoods to serve as models for incorporating civic spaces into active sacred places .The three sites were chosen from fifteen original applicants, each of whom chose a community nonprofit as a partner to strengthen relationships between sacred places, community organizations, and service providers with a mutual interest in co-location.

Three design teams have been chosen and matched up with the final sites, and will now embark on a design challenge. The multidisciplinary design teams will create innovative design and development concepts and collaborate with congregations and surrounding communities. The public reveal of their work will take place on December 4.

In addition to the design challenge, the event marks the launch of the Sacred Places/Civic Spaces Precedent Exhibition highlighting visual representations of national best practices.

Sacred Places/Civic Spaces is designed to demonstrate that underutilized space in historic sacred properties throughout Philadelphia can be activated in ways that expand the civic commons, serve a larger secular purpose, and strengthen communities. The initiative is funded by the William Penn Foundation.
 

WHO:                 

Community Design Collaborative
Partners for Sacred Places
The Reverend TimothySafford, Rector of Christ Church in Philadelphia
Participating Congregations and Community Partners
Design Teams

WHEN:            

Tuesday, June 5, 2018
5:30 to 8:00 pm
 

WHERE:             

Center for Architecture and Design
1218 Arch Street                               

Contact:            
Bridget Kernan
bkulik@sage-communications.com                  
215-209-3077

Infill Philadelphia is an initiative of the Community Design Collaborative to explore key community development challenges and opportunities through design. Infill Philadelphia engages communities in re-envisioning their neighborhoods, leveraging existing assets, rethinking the use of older spaces, and addressing the practical concerns of specific sites and the communities around them. 

Community Design Collaborative is a volunteer-based community design center that provides pro bono preliminary design services to nonprofits; promotes best practices in community design and development; and offers design professionals a unique way to volunteer their skills in service of neighborhoods. Founded in 1991 as a program of AIA Philadelphia, the Collaborative is an independent 501 (c)(3).

Partners for Sacred Places is the only national, non-sectarian, nonprofit organization focused on building the capacity of congregations of historic sacred places to better serve their communities as anchor institutions, nurturing transformation, and shaping vibrant, creative communities. Founded in 1989, Partners has built a national movement based on its ability to assess issues, map assets, find solutions, and create optimism and hope for the future of our historic, purpose-built sacred places.