By Mary Catherine Frantz, intern, Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture
SPOKANE, Wash. – WSU architecture students will install a parklet Saturday-Sunday, April 21-22, in Spokane’s Garland area, that they designed as a way to help build community.
Led by Mona Ghandi, assistant professor in the School of Design and Construction, the third-year students were assigned to design and build the parklet, a sidewalk extension that provides more space and amenities by converting a parking space or loading zone to public use, for the Garland Sandwich Shoppe, 3903 N Madison St, in Spokane.
As a social outreach project, the students designed the parklet as an urban platform for increasing social interactions with a focus on adaptive systems, computational design, and material properties. The parklet offers people a chance to appreciate the value of making and maintaining social connections, increasing the vibrancy of the public realm, generating pedestrian activity, helping local businesses, and activating new functions for streets.
The students’ design will provide extra outdoor seating for the popular sandwich shop.
“Our objective is creating a vibrant public space in the neighborhood that benefits the people in the neighborhood and local businesses and attracts newcomers,” said Ephraim Elongo, a junior architecture student.
A separate WSU parklet design will be entered into the American Institute of Architects Spokane competition April 26-27 at the Spokane Convention Center. The 2018 AIA Spokane Design Awards recognize excellence in architectural design within the Spokane community.
Students designed and began constructing the project on the WSU Pullman campus. They received support for the project from the Inland Northwest Architecture Foundation, Pullman Building Supply, Integrus Architecture, Garland Sandwich Shoppe, WSU’s School of Design and Construction,, Bernardo Wills Architects, MMEC Architecture and Interiors, and ALSC Architects.
Contact:
Mona Ghandi, assistant professor, School of Design and Construction, 510-599-2990, mona.ghandi@wsu.edu
Tina Hilding, communications director, Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture, (509) 335-5095, thilding@wsu.edu
