Moving Francisville Forward: a blueprint for the future
Philadelphia, PA
With funding from the Wachovia Regional Foundation, the Francisville Neighborhood Development Corporation (FNDC) hired Interface Studio to undertake a comprehensive plan for Francisville. Interface Studio was charged with bringing a number of public and private organizations already active in the community together around one common vision.
The plan focuses on building consensus to address the residents’ most significant concerns; mitigating the prevalence of vacant property and crime; addressing the lack of services for youth; and bringing back Ridge Avenue as the commercial heart of the community.
To promote greater awareness of the community and the plan, Interface Studio utilized a number of public forums and meetings to spark discussion, designed and distributed a community survey and deployed a public video installation in collaboration with the Klip Collective. The installation occupies a two-story blank wall every evening and tells the story of the community and the plan.
Since the plan’s completion, the FNDC has used the plan as a tool to guide high-profile development review for a key parcel of publicly-owned vacant land across from the neighborhood recreation center; launch an environmental maintenance and employment program for local youth; and transform an overgrown mid-block alley space into a new community park, complete with an orchard, herb garden, sitting area, mural, and lushly planted lawn. With more energy than ever before and building capacity everyday, the FNDC remains busy with the work of revitalizing Francisville. For more information, see this Summer 2009 feature article, Building Urban Opportunity upon an Unlikey Oasis, written for the American Planning Association.
Check out the video projection:
Client: Francisville Neighborhood Development Corporation
Project Team: Klip Collective
