The Collaborative has released a report presenting the dozens of design concepts developed at its Industrial Sites Interim Reuse Charrette.  The October 2009  charrette challenged four teams to design temporary uses for vacant industrial sites selected by the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation and the New Kensington Community Development Corporation.Volunteer firm KSK Architects Planners Historians documented project sites, researched design precedents, and facilitated the charrette.

The charrette encouraged a sense of fun and experimentation towards an often intractable problem: long-term vacant industrial lots. The designers created a range of temporary, low cost, and high impact solutions that could help reclaim, repurpose, and raise the profile of vacant industrial sites in neighborhoods in Philadelphia and other older, American cities.

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The Collaborative recently made a trip up to Brooklyn, NY for a tour of  once-abandoned factory buildings redeveloped by Greenpoint Manufacturing & Design Center (GMDC) for use by new, small manufacturing businesses.  Locally, GMDC teamed up with the Women’s Community Revitalization Project to serve as a client for Infill Philadelphia: Industrial Sites.  GMDC and WCRP wanted to explore possibilities for re-purposing a cluster of industrial buildings on Oxford Street as a mixed-use development that combines affordable housing with space for fabrication.

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An idea from the Collaborative’s Infill Philadelphia: Industrial Sites Temporary Reuse Design Charrette has got legs and is on the move! The charrette brought together a diverse group, including designers, artists, community groups, and developer and Philadelphia native David Belt, the keynote speaker, to consider ways to enliven vacant sites through temporary installations.

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At last night’s Infill Philadelphia: Industrial Sites Design Challenge Reveal, SMP Architects, DIGSAU, and Charles Loomis Chariss McAfee Architects demonstrated both serious-minded and fun-loving ways to reinvigorate old industrial sites.

Alan Greenberger, Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development, began the evening by observing that the city is “a mosaic of industrial use mixed with residential uses. That’s how Philadelphia was built.” Finding creative ways to repurpose these old industrial sites—many of them empty and underutilized, some of them spectacular—for modern industry is an opportunity for re-knitting Philly’s neighborhoods together.

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When Jacob Hellman moved to Philadelphia he was inspired to photograph the vacant houses and buildings he observed and to use his camera to explore urban social issues and the impacts of globalization.

A collection of Jacob’s photos was featured in the recent Retooling Industrial Sites Exhibit presented as part of Infill Philadelphia: Industrial Sites. His work tells the story of abandoned industry as well as the people and factories who have continued making things in Philadelphia. His inspiration comes from the aesthetic and architectural beauty of the buildings as well as the power of photography to create a historical record.

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The design teams presented preliminary concepts at a mid review. Photo by Mark Garvin.

How do you repurpose a complicated old manufacturing complex or activate an isolated industrial plot?  Can housing and light industry share the same site?

These types of challenging issues are being addressed by the Infill Philadelphia: Industrial Sites initiative, which recently received national recognition with funding through the Urban Land Institute’s Foundation (ULI) community action grant program.  ULI Foundation is helping support all phases of the initiative which is bringing together designers, policy makers, funders and community organizations to address community revitalization through infill development.   ULI is a global nonprofit research and education organization that represents members across the spectrum of land use and real estate development disciplines. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide.
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Did you miss the Retooling Industrial Sites Exhibit or want to learn more about your favorite project?

Then check out the virtual gallery to see images of the projects and download the exhibit catalogue to learn more about the firms, the designs and history of the sites.

The exhibit ran at the Center for Architecture from February 5th through March 26th and showcased the work of over 30 design firms in transforming old industrial sites back to productive use and featured inventive examples from Philadelphia and cities across the country.

Retooling Industrial Sites Virtual Gallery