15 April 2011

1415 Mallinckrodt | children's dreams

1415 Mallinckrodt -- before and after wish
"After and before"
Dayna Kriz and others working with Rebuild Foundation have developed a program called "Urban Expressions". They work with students of the Most Holy Trinity Catholic School in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Saint Louis. One of the exercises they worked on involved encouraging the kids to imagine what an existing vacant building near their school could possibly become.

1415 Mallinckrodt -- letter to a building: "back in the day"
"Back in the day"
The kids developed their ideas for transforming an eyesore into a place that is useful and vibrant. They wrote and drew their ideas which have been posted on the door to 1415 Mallinckrodt as a way of imprinting their vision directly onto the building itself.

1415 Mallinckrodt -- wish upon a building: a colorful space with retro decorations
"Colorful space with retro decorations"
They are now participating in a joint effort of Rebuild Foundation, The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts and the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts to rehabilitate this structure into a place in which the community can be justifiably proud. Under the inspired leadership of Theaster Gates, Jr., two vacant buildings in the neighborhood will be revitalized over the course of the coming months.

1415 Mallinckrodt -- playground master plan
"Play ground"
Not only will be the kids be able to see positive change taking place in their neighborhood, they will also be actively contributing to this transformation which promises to be at least a bit magical.

05 April 2011

USGBC April video

Following is a video I produced for the Missouri Gateway Chapter of the USGBC (United States Green Building Council):





Please feel free to forward a link to the video to invite people to attend the 8th Annual LEED Showcase being held at Alberici's Headquarters on Tuesday 12 April.




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