School of Design Strategies / SDS Projects
Urban Communities: Washington DC/Solar Decathlon

Be part of a team that looks to prototype innovative, affordable housing solutions designed within a specific community context. The Urban Communities studio will serve to explore the community part of Solar Decathlon and the urban design implications of working in the Deanwood area of Ward 7, a community of need in Washington DC.

The studio will coordinate its work with all of the other courses at Parsons simultaneously tackling every aspect of this project. The team of students will partner with Habitat for Humanity who has offered to assist us with site and construction expertise. Sylvia Brown, commissioner of her district in Ward 7, will be our community partner and help us access community expertise. The Department of Housing and Community Development, DC, will help us negotiate the local zoning and building regulations and has offered us a choice of a number of sites. The studio will travel to DC twice to work with local community groups and survey the community and site.

Spring 2010 CRN 6728
Meets Friday, 9 to 3 pm / 3 credits
+ 1 credit (optional) coordination studio Friday 3 to 5.40pm
(other credit options are available for independent studies)
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Contact Alison Mears at mearsa@newschool.edu