Who We Are and what we’re doing:
We are undergraduate students at the Academy of Art school of Architecture in the city of San Francisco. We’ve been working with the Bayview Commons Community through workshops and outreach to develop, design and build an outdoor furniture installation in an existing outdoor courtyard. The Bayview Commons Apartments is an affordable community in service since 2003, located in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco.Our hope is that this installation can create a new vibrant imagination and gathering space for all the residents of this diverse building, but especially for the 29 children residing here. This is a great opportunity for us as students to hone our design skills while learning to fabricate, build and deliver an installation to a real client. Our design incorporates social distancing and it's our hope that moving forward with this project will bring some relief and fun into the lives of the residents of this building!
Design is still making an impact in these challenging times:
Change is around us, and as designers and architects, we have no choice but to respond. As social distancing and online meetings become our new normal, we are innovating and finding new ways to continue to take design out into the communities around us. We’ve been busy designing and working with the community residents, and are ready to launch into procuring materials for this installation. We have been building excitement and we now need your help to make this project a success. We are looking to raise $6000, to supplement our initial funding. Your donations will cover materials and equipment ONLY, all design and labor will be provided by students. Any contribution, however small, will help us reach our goal.
"I am excited about the project, because by having some input from the residents they feel empowered , the residents are a part of something new and creative. Right now the courtyard is bland, and it needs a makeover, with bright colors and new possibilities." - Rhonda Haley (Resident Services Coordinator).
- Rhonda Haley , Resident Services Coordinator, San Francisco Housing Development Corporation
The "Kid of Parts":
Through a community workshop, various meetings with SFHDC and online community zoom calls with children living in the building, we learned that residents wanted an active, intergenerational and flexible space that allowed for interactive play, relaxing and community events. Our final design incorporates a set of flexible, movable furniture that can be setup in different configurations. The notions of intergenerational play, lounging, greenspace and socializing are emphasized through the design of different panels on the modular pieces. The colorful groundscape is coded to show how the space is used. Take a look at the design here: https://autode.sk/2YZJVjW
What is B. Lab:
B.lab is a community based design program in the Architecture Department at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco California. The goal is to cultivate and foster diversity, equity, and advocacy for future public projects among students. This project is the third project that continues our partnership with SFHDC and Bayview Commons, located in San Francisco.
