LandVISIONS
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[edit] Overview
With over 40,000 vacant properties, Philadelphia has become one of the nations' foremost examples of urban abandonment and extensive sprawl. Representing approximately 920 acres, these vacant lots are integrally connected to the ecological infrastructure of the city. The lands are fertile ground for imagining fantastic solutions that use ecology to shape urban form and inspire change. The City Parks Association of Philadelphia (CPA) and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), in partnership with numerous other public and private organizations, are organizing an international competition to generate new thinking about the future of Philadelphia's vacant lands. This competition will seek out ideas that draw specifically upon the city's green infrastructure and the natural assets of its land and water resources in ways that will help reconnect and regenerate the fabric of the city and enhance its future. The overall competition process consists of three distinct phases: I. Asset Mapping and Community Visioning; II. Competitive Design Response; and III. Site-Specific Design Resolution.
[edit] Process
Phase one comprised of four meetings to solicit feedback from residents. Through the innovative application of tools and process techniques, PlaceMatters helped residents understand how vacant lots are integrally connected to the ecological infrastructure of the city, created and facilitated a process for imagining innovative solutions, and linked local input processes to the development of a regional strategy on vacant properties.
- Stakeholder Meeting: The key stakeholder meeting targeted businesses and leaders in the community that were unlikely to participate in the longer public session. The meeting included an overview of the educational component of the project and a roadmap for implementation.
- Town Meeting: The first gathering brought over 400 people to 30th Street Station to imagine possibilities for vacant land in the city. Photo presentations created by students kicked off the event and focused on student views on vacancy in their neighborhoods. Participants were asked to identify what they love about the city: all ideas were collected via eFlipcharts and then voted upon using Keypad Polling, the results of which appear on the Philadelphia LANDvisions website (landvisions.org). The program continued with a series of short presentations providing background on the current state of vacancy in the city as well as an overview of the ecology of the region. The session continued in smaller groups of ten. Participants both clarified their ideas and expressed their hopes and aspirations for the future of the city. Using innovative technology techniques like eBrainstormings, these ideas were captured and made immediately available on the website for public appreciation and ongoing involvement.
- The River Corridor Session: This session applied the ideas from the Public Community Forum to the river corridors. The meeting began with a series of presentations on existing or planned projects that integrate our rivers with recreational, residential, and commercial uses. The session continued with a keypad vote on the ten most critical themes, including "Living with Water," "Creating New Communities," and "Economy and Jobs" that emerged from the May 5th session. Participants then broke into small groups to discuss the inherent values, Guiding Principles, and strategies that follow from a particular theme. Groups then shared their ideas with the larger forum; you can view them on the Philadelphia LANDvisions website (landvisions.org). The meeting concluded with a vote ranking the importance of each theme.
- The Neighborhoods Session: The final session focused on how vacant lands can be used to transform Philadelphia's neighborhoods. After an initial Keypad Polling exercise to determine the characteristics of those present, participants began by discussing the assets and liabilities of different types of vacancies within the city. Then a mapping exercise challenged participants to brainstorm uses for vacant lands in an unidentified Philadelphia neighborhood. While some groups concentrated on the environmental possibilities of vacant sites, others directed their attention to social or economic options. Finally, participants engaged in a storytelling exercise in which they shared memories of their neighborhood's past and their hopes and wishes for its future, captured via Memory Recording. The keypad polling results, lists of assets and liabilities, maps, and hopes and wishes can be viewed on the Philadelphia LANDvisions website (landvisions.org). Additionally, audio recordings of the storytelling exercise are also available online.
[edit] Tools
- Communication Network
PlaceMatters set up a "Communication Information Management Network" for phase one visioning, consisting of a Content Management System based on Mambo to solicit new ideas, and get feedback on proposed solutions.
This information network remains in use for phases two and three. The website offered a number of features including: tools for input/feedback including Public Opinion Survey and an eBrainstorming; photo galleries and visuals supporting the project; and Web Mapping tools for the public to view related maps to better understand the issue.
- Public Engagement: Visioning Sessions
PlaceMatters helped organize and facilitate three visioning sessions and one key stakeholder meeting with community leaders to educate them on the issues surrounding vacant lots, equity, and green infrastructure and to share their aspirations for the city. At each meeting, appropriate participation techniques that facilitate the process and enable innovative solutions were incorporated. The meetings were designed as eMeetings to solicit feedback on priority concerns and innovative solutions, captured with the help of Keypad Polling and Laptops on each table using eFacilitate collaboration tools.
- PlaceMatters also did some additional GIS analysis and helped setting up the work with 2 groups of school children from different areas with disposable cameras that documented what they like and dislike about their neighborhood, parks and open space. This was used to kick off a conversation at the first visioning session about the treasures and liabilities in the city and opportunities for change.
[edit] Outcomes
A key outcome from this competition will be the development of innovative designs that will directly influence the plans of the decision makers and implementers in Philadelphia. In addition, the process will help formulate principles and emerging best practices for issues of vacancy throughout the country.
