DOMINOES ON SOUTH
Faculty: Diana Nicholas

Created in collaboration with Associacion Puertorriquenos en Marcha (APM), “Dominoes on Sixth” is an attempt to create a space for the residents of this growing community east of Temple to meet and play dominoes. Initiated as a part of an elective course, “Architecture as Installation/Intervention”, the project is located at the intersection of Sixth Street, Germantown Avenue, and Diamond Streets. Architecture Students designed and built site furniture and installed plantings for the residents to occupy in the warm summer months. The game of dominoes is a major part of the Puerto Rican culture and students wanted to accommodate the playing of the game for residents who were playing in the park in an ad-hoc fashion. This project is the second in collaboration between Temple Architecture Students and APM. In the spring of 2005 students created a temporary installation artwork entitled “The Element” at 6th and Diamond.

URBAN REVITALIZATION: TEMPLE HEALTH SCIENCES CAMPUS AND THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Faculty: Elizabeth Masters

This urban design studio, a component of the professional architecture program at temple proposed an urban revitalization focusing on ten blocks of the off-campus perimeter of the Temple University Health Sciences Campus. Representatives from the SunRise CDC, the Germantown Erie Business Association, the manager of the Citizens Bank, the 43rd Ward Democratic leader, the City Planning Commission, Temple University Facilities Management, Planning and Design/School of Medicine, and Ambler’s Center for Sustainability and community members were engaged at various stages during the studio.

The project raised several questions:
1. What needs does the community have and how can it be revitalized to serve the community? Temple?
2. How should the University meet its own needs for campus facilities and be a good neighbor to the surrounding community?
3. What should the edge of campus be like? What should the margins be like?
4. What role can public space play as a bridge between communities?
5. Could its architecture and urban design be more effective at making Temple a good neighbor?

The CDC requested permission to include the work of the Studio in the SunRise CDC Strategic Plan being prepared at this time (September 07) as part of the physical master plan for the neighborhood.

In Spring 2008, the urban design studio will continue to work with the SunRise CDC and the community in the area to the northeast of the TU HSC. Potentially the project will engage another discipline as well, such as the Fox School of Business.

BAOBAB PARK
Faculty: Sally Harrison

The Village of Arts and Humanities has prepared a public art installation at the emerging "Baobab Park" at 11th and York Streets. The exhibit honors 12 heroes of North Philadelphia from abolutionist Robert Purvis to Cecil B. Moore to dancer Arthur Hall. The exhibit opened on Saturday and will be up till October 22nd.

Temple architecture students designed and built a threshold to the exhibit embedded with mosaic pavers commemorating the 12 heroes. This is a permanent installation.

On September 26 at 6PM there will be a panel discussion among the curators of the exhibit followed by a reception. This event is co-sponsored by the Urban Workshop of Architecture Department and the Community Arts Program of the Department of Art and Art Education. It will be held in Lecture Room 126 of the College of Engineering and Architecture Building, 12th and Norris.